Hottest Films from the 36th Toronto International Film Festival

In 2011, the 36th Toronto International Film Festival was held and hosted in Canada; paying homage and giving praise to Canadian filmmakers, directors, writers and producers of films which otherwise would go undiscovered. Film festivals, such as the TIFF, allow young, up and coming and artistic films the opportunity to be seen and judged based on content and direction; apart from being backed by larger production houses or budgets. Each year, the festival shows films which rank as some of the hottest in the world, and 2011 was no exception.

Award winning film, ‘Edwin Boyd’ took top honors as Best Canadian First Feature Film. The movie, by Nathan Morlando examines the struggles and pressures associated with returning to daily life and a standard routine when a soldier returns from fighting abroad in a war. The harsh reality of acclimation make this film poignant and educational, as issues not typically discussed are examined throughout the film.

The Best Canadian Feature Film award was given to Philippe Falardeau’s ‘Monsieur Lazhar’. This film was critically acclaimed for being a heart wrenching tale of how parents interact and teach, mold, love and nurture their children; even through ways and means which may seem unorthodox at times. The film was praised by both attendees and the judging panel for its depth and meaning.

Many other films were unveiled and thus showcased during the film festival. Some of the hottest films shown during the event included Anne mond’s ‘Nuit 1′, ‘Doubles With Slight Pepper’ by Ian Harnarine, Mathieu Tremblay’s ‘Of events (D’alas)’, Ryan Flowers and Lisa Pham’s ‘No Words Came Down’, Nadine Labaki’s ‘Where Do We Go Now?’, Asghar Farhadi’s ‘A Separation’ and Ken Scott’s ‘Starbuck’. Many other small, independent films were also shown, with many being documentaries or short films showing life in an ever changing world.