...discover tomorrow's talent todayToronto Indie presents the best of low-budget filmmaking from around the world, and mixes it up with relevant industry discussions and targeted social networking events. Toronto Indie uses the strength of Toronto's sizable independent filmmaking community to put on a fantastic festival. It's an indie film festival by and for indie filmmakers.
The 2012 Toronto Independent Film Festival takes place from September 6 to 15 at the 700 seat Underground Cinema in downtown Toronto. Read more about it on the Festival Page
Note: the Toronto Indie, aka the Toronto Independent Film Festival, is separate from the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which runs at the same time.
Deputy Director of the TO indie Film Festival Steve Veale,
pictured here at the 2010 event, opened the 22-Feature,
45- Short, 11-day event
in an exclusive hand-painted shirt
by Toronto Distillery District artist Nicholas Hadzis.
(photo by Kim Spice)
45- Short, 11-day event
in an exclusive hand-painted shirt
by Toronto Distillery District artist Nicholas Hadzis.
(photo by Kim Spice)
Contact: Deputy Film Festival Director Steve Veale.
email: toindieff@gmail.com
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Follow @TOindiefilmfest
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SEPTEMBER 6 - 15, 2012
Welcome to this year's expanded 3rd annual TO indie Film Festival as we continue celebrating the art of film in our home at the spectacular basement setting of the Toronto Underground Cinema.
However this is a bittersweet celebration....
The Underground announced they will be closing its doors following the 2012 TO "indie".
Come join us to celebrate the final week of the Underground!
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The true movie lover will be astounded at this theatre, buried for years, yet in the middle of one of the city's busiest intersections at trendy Queen Street West, literally door-to-door with some of the coolest bars, restaurants and music venues in town and Chinatown's Spadina Avenue, home to some of the best Chinese cuisine in North America.However this is a bittersweet celebration....
The Underground announced they will be closing its doors following the 2012 TO "indie".
Come join us to celebrate the final week of the Underground!
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The Toronto Underground Cinema, just north of Queen West at 186 Spadina Avenue, is located in a nondescript office/condo building. The cinema is visible only by a sidewalk sandwich board and small lettering under the number 186 above the doorway of the building. The cinema was built to showcase the popular and cheesy Chinese 'chopsocky' movies of the late 70's and early 80's. Chinatown, however, continued to expand in different areas throughout the city as did its ethnic population. As a result, the theatre closed and was forgotten, literally buried in the basement for 15 years. It was finally uncovered and renovated by three enterprising film fans and quietly opened for business in the Spring of 2010.
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TO indie Film Festival 2012
6 pm – Detroit Winter (77 min)
dir. by Barbara Troy
Comedy
Todd runs into his ex-girlfriend, literally,
with his car. Not seriously injured they begin a date. Until all hell breaks
loose. Detroit can be a very dangerous place in the winter.
* One Wish (22
min)
* A Band Called Catl (14 min)
* Cellist (8
min)
* Astronomy Girl (9 min)
* Other (15
min)
9:15 pm – Blissestraße (99
min)
dir. by Paul Donovan
Drama (strong sexual themes)
To beat a drug rap, Harris Reynolds joins a
christian youth mission in Berlin. Living with a group of committed young
Christians in the sea of temptation that is modern Berlin is a tough row for
Harris to hoe. But he knows that if he does not maintain absolute discipline,
several years in the D.C. pen await him. www.michael-mcmanus.com/BLISS.htm
6:00 pm – She Paid the Ultimate Price (58 min)
dir. by Iryna Korpan
Documentary
A Holocaust documentary about the heroic deeds
of a Ukrainian woman, widow, mother of three small children, who, while trying
to save her Jewish neighbours, herself fell victim to the Nazis.
* Being Bradford Dilman (10 min)
* Amalgamations (15 min)
* Exeunt (10
min)
* Wild Dogs (11
min)
* Grounded (8
min)
* First Words (8 min)
dir. by Stephen Marro
Comedy
Broadway's Finest is a diverting story about
three struggling men who impersonate New York City undercover cops and chase
down a notorious drug dealer to get the authentic material they need to create
their own cutting edge police drama. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1737118/
5:30 pm – Brilliant Mistakes (116m)
Drama
dir. by Paul Brighton
* Dorothy (14
min) Warning: horror
* Carpe Diem (10
min)
* ASL (6
min)
* Flapjack (11
min)
dir. by Xackery Irving
Thriller
A psych-patient, accused of a violent murder,
turns to her court-appointed psychiatrist to prove her innocence and sanity.
Her psychiatrist must help her decipher delusion from truth to unravel the
mystery of her reality. This fast-paced thriller will keep you guessing until
the very end.
6:00 pm – Welcome to Harlem (105 min)
dir. by Mark Blackman
Music and Dance
After realizing that most of Manhattan today is
less about art and culture and more about money and corruption, Marty decides
to take a chance and move uptown to Harlem, NYC. Once there, he finds a
hilarious adventure of friendship, love and community enveloped in music,
dance, grit featuring one of the most unique neighborhoods on the planet. Once
there, Marty quickly learns that Harlem is not quite what he expected…
* RootWork (18
min)
* The Lion Sleeps (4 min)
* Teach'er (15
min)
* Candy Apple (7 min)
* This Shining Night (16 min)
dir. By Guillaume Collin, Jesse Kray, Alexandra
Bégin
Drama
It is summer, Alex is out of work and does not
know what to do with herself. After an awkward moment in a bar with friends,
she decides to drive non-stop to see her cousin Jesse in Georgia. The two
reunite after years apart and they decide to go on a trip through the southern
U.S.A. They don’t know where they are going, but they are about to discover
their own path.
dir. by Laura Thies
Terry surprises her estranged family by showing
up on her birthday, to inform them of her plans to marry Alex in one week. The
surprise is on Terry, though, when she meets the half sister she never knew
existed.
* Dead Monday (14 min)
* Seven Years (11 min)
* Eye of the Beholder (12 min)
dir. by Robin North
Drama
In an institution for troubled girls, Zoe, an
angry delinquent, is forced to share a room with silent Jehanne, a girl who
lives as a saint in a world of her own devising. Hostile at first, an uneasy
truce is struck in the face of a common enemy. As their friendship grows the
wall between this world and that of Jehanne's fantasies begins to thin,
revealing to Zoe a beautiful escape.
dir. by Matthew Lancit
Documentary
Director Matthew Lancit quit his day job to
travel across Cameroon, visiting some of the world’s most joyous funeral
celebrations. Throughout his excursion in the foreign countryside, Lancit is
taken with the locals’ belief that the dead are still roaming the Earth,
leading Lancit himself to experience what might be a spiritual connection with
his own ancestors. Ultimately, Lancit learns about an altogether new way to
celebrate the dead, their memory, and the ways in which they still affect and
even interact in our lives. www.matthewlancit.tumblr.com/Documentary.
* Mauthausen Twice (17 min)
* Seeing in the Dark (12 min) +
* Soufflé (5
min)
* Chance (14
min)
* Dare to Dream (2 min)
dir. by Paul Plett
Drama
A unique story of friendship that rises and
falls with the rich diversity of Canada's changing landscape. GODART follows
the journey of two young men who meet as strangers on the east coast and decide
to hitchhike west.
dir. by Jesse Mann
Documentary
Material Success chronicles the misadventures of
the eccentric designer Bruno Ierullo preparing for his first fashion show after
tragedy inspires him to put his life savings on the line to make a mid-life
career change into the world of fashion. Featuring over 300 hand-made garments
of kaleidoscopic colour and the unbridled ideologies of Bruno's new life and
artistry. www.materialsuccess.ca
* White (13
min)
* Dolime Dilema (12 min)
* Shuffle (17
min)
*Alchemy and Other Imperfections (11 min)
dir. by Steve Russell, Jody Marriott Bar-Lev
Western
South Dakota 1899 - When a mysterious stranger,
Henry Seed, visits a small town on the outskirts of the Lakota Pine Ridge
Reservation he brings with him a terrible resolve. When eerie, inexplicable and
deadly events that mirror the atrocities that had been put upon the Lakota
people begin to occur in this western town, everything seems to point to Seed.
Little Thunder, the Lakota's spiritual leader, envisions the far-reaching
consequences of taking this path of righteous revenge or maintaining the
integrity of the traditional Lakota values and the interconnected circles of
all mankind. http://westofthunder.com/
dir. by Gianni Converso
Documentary
The film explores the impacts of gold mining,
one of the most lucrative industries in the world. The film gives an intimate
look into the lives of native populations in Peru, their customs and traditions
currently being threatened by the world's intense demand for gold. The film
also looks at the impact of gold mining on the social, economic and political
life of the country. http://www.facebook.com/OpenPitDocumentary
dir. by Jonathan Holiff
Documentary
An intense personal adventure with universal
themes that just happens to feature on of 20th-century music's greatest icons,
'My Father and The Man In Black' presents the untold story of 'bad boy' Johnny
Cash, his talented but troubled manager, Saul Holiff, and a son searching for
clues to his father's suicide in the shadow of a legend. Before there was
Johnny and June, there was Johnny and Saul. www.Johnny-and-Saul.com
6:00 pm – Film: TBA
* Demon Bitch (11 min)
* Parasite (12
min)
* Melissa! (23
min)
* No Rest for the Wicked (16 min)
dir. by Justin Thomas Ostensen
Dark Comedy
Desperate to meet a career-saving deadline and
escape the distractions of his troubled life, screenwriter Jack arranges to be
locked inside a meat cooler, with only vegetarian meals and his imagination to
inspire him. As the temperature drops, the lines between reality and fiction
blur, and Jack's script comes dangerously to life. http://belowzeromovie.com/
dir. by Yvonne Deutschman
Comedy
Michelle is turning 50. A time to set aside
youthful dreams. Or is it? Michelle, Olivia and Lizzie---separated by time and
distance---reunite in London. Life hasn't gone to plan for any of them. Is it
too late to start over? Make a fresh start? Each has a dream and a personal
quest. But they can't succeed on their own. It takes an entire community. But
it starts with the power of three. www.powerofthreefilm.com/
* Life and Burgers (8 min)
* Chasing Roadrunner (15 min)
* Wild Dogs (11
min)
* Blind Spot (6
min)
* Those Forgotten (7 min)
* 2 A Short Film (10 min)
9:15 pm – Transatlantic Coffee (104 min)
dir. by Erik Peter Carlson
Drama/Comedy
A classic tale of boy meets girl, boy falls in
love with girl....only the boy, is Alex a 41 year old clown, the girl, is
Mandie, a teenage stripper from London. Alex struggles to follow the advice of
his friend, Ronnie and more importantly, his heart to yield his desires and do
what is seemingly right.
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The Boys of the Toronto Underground Cinema
Alex, Nigel and Charlie.
Projectionist Dennis sits in front
(photo by Steve Veale)
Enter the front doors and walk along the hallway toward the back. On your right you will see a doorway with a small lobby and ticket area. A grand sweeping staircase then leads you downstairs to the basement, literally underground, to a vast 710-seat movie theatre. This is no multi-screen Cineplex with 80 seats and a tiny screen. This is a large theatre that was built for filmgoers to enjoy movies as they were made to be seen - on a huge and expansive canvas of silver screen with actors towering above the audience, larger than Life. The Magic of the Movies. www.torontoundergroundcinema.com.(photo by Steve Veale)
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www. film-fest.ca
Note to Filmmakers.....
For instructions on how to submit your work to the TO indie Film Fest, make sure you go to our official site for detailed instructions. www.film-fest.ca
We want to feature your work at our newly re-launched film festival which will highlight some of the best independent filmmaking from around the globe.
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Festival volunteer Kim Spice models the official tee-shirtof the 2010 TO indie film Festival. (photo by Steve Veale)
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Note to Canadian filmmakers - www.filmthrill.ca
This site showcases both Canadian film and talent. It is a must for anyone involved in the art and activity of the film industry in this country. Directors, writers, actors, gaffers and gofers are members of filmthrill.ca. (There is a public site featuring Reviews, Interviews and general news. Industry members will require a password for specific contacts and communication.)
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The Rivoli a Queen Street West institution
The TO indie Film Festival is truly thrilled to be able to call the famed Rivoli bar and restaurant our official "meeting and greeting" spot for filmmakers and audience alike. This fixture of trendy Queen West is located literally around the corner from the cinema at 322 Queen Street West of Spadina Avenue (www.rivoli.ca). Film lover and Rivoli owner Andre Rosenbaum has reserved the second floor bar area - with pool tables in the rear for those so inclined - for all members of the audience and film community during the run of the festival. Please gather before and after the screenings to "talk film". Enjoy! The Rivoli
(photos by Steve Veale)
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SUPER (8) accommodations.
The TO indie is extremely fortunate to have a terrific hotel just steps away - literally steps - from the Toronto Underground Cinema in the heart of the city's Chinatown area ("Forget it Jake... it's Chinatown") The Super 8 is located at 222 Spadina Avenue on the third floor of the Chinatown Centre. The hotel features 92 guest rooms ranging from Junior one-bedrooms to luxurious suites. All rooms come with a coffee maker, small refrigerator, microwave, high speed Internet access, cable TV, hair dryers and a complimentary breakfast. The hotel itself features a lobby bar, laundry facilities, exercise room and several meetings rooms. Contact Sales Manager Susan Shackleton directly for the special "TO indie" filmmakers rate.
Super 8 hotel. 222 Spadina Avenue. Toronto Ontario M5T 2C2. TEL: 647 426-8118. www.super8downtowntoronto.com. (note: a perfect name for a filmmaker's hotel...)
The lobby of the Downtown Super 8 Hotel @ 222 Spadina Avenue, in Chinatown
just steps from the Toronto Underground Cinema.
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We are pleased to be part of Toronto's burgeoning film festival scene. As the ticket says, Check out the dozens of film festivals throughout the year as Toronto is rapidly becoming the world's centre for movie madness - from the massive TIFF and Hot Docs to the Gay & Lesbian offerings and the infamous Liquor & Porn annual festival - all under the guidance of the Toronto Film and TV Commission. http://www.torontofilmfestivals.com
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The TO indie is extremely fortunate to have a terrific hotel just steps away - literally steps - from the Toronto Underground Cinema in the heart of the city's Chinatown area ("Forget it Jake... it's Chinatown") The Super 8 is located at 222 Spadina Avenue on the third floor of the Chinatown Centre. The hotel features 92 guest rooms ranging from Junior one-bedrooms to luxurious suites. All rooms come with a coffee maker, small refrigerator, microwave, high speed Internet access, cable TV, hair dryers and a complimentary breakfast. The hotel itself features a lobby bar, laundry facilities, exercise room and several meetings rooms. Contact Sales Manager Susan Shackleton directly for the special "TO indie" filmmakers rate.
Super 8 hotel. 222 Spadina Avenue. Toronto Ontario M5T 2C2. TEL: 647 426-8118. www.super8downtowntoronto.com. (note: a perfect name for a filmmaker's hotel...)
The lobby of the Downtown Super 8 Hotel @ 222 Spadina Avenue, in Chinatownjust steps from the Toronto Underground Cinema.
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We are pleased to be part of Toronto's burgeoning film festival scene. As the ticket says, Check out the dozens of film festivals throughout the year as Toronto is rapidly becoming the world's centre for movie madness - from the massive TIFF and Hot Docs to the Gay & Lesbian offerings and the infamous Liquor & Porn annual festival - all under the guidance of the Toronto Film and TV Commission. http://www.torontofilmfestivals.com
2011 TOindie Film Festival
Winners of the various film categories:
* Feature Film (budget over $250k USD): Killer God.
Director: Stasch Radwanski
* Micro-budget Feature (budget under $250k USD): Blue Collar Boys.
* Micro-budget Feature (budget under $250k USD): Blue Collar Boys.
Director: Mark Nistico
* No-Budget Feature (budget under $25k USD): No Fun City.
* No-Budget Feature (budget under $25k USD): No Fun City.
Director: Melissa James & Kate Kroll
* Best Animated Feature: The Lady of Names
Director: Adam Ciolfi
* Documentary Feature: Vegucated.
Director: Marisa Miller Wolfson
* LGBT Film: Freak.
* LGBT Film: Freak.
Director: Eric Casaccio
* Music Video: Legalize.
* Music Video: Legalize.
Director: Thomas Simon
* Short Film: Lullaby for Ray.
* Short Film: Lullaby for Ray.
Director: Marina Shron
* Horror / Sci-Fi Short: Stealin Home.
* Horror / Sci-Fi Short: Stealin Home.
Director: Joe Mari
FEATURE presentations
Thursday Sept 8 to Saturday Sept 17
THURSDAY Sept 8
6 PM
The Lady Of Names (79m)
dir. by Adam Ciolfi
FANTASY: A beautiful librarian discovers the power of magic when an ill-conceived wish catapults her into the world of fairy tales. She falls into the clutches of the Troll King, a monster obsessed with imprisoning all the fairy tale folk. Her only hope for rescue is Zack Driscoll, a young handyman in love with her. Kidnapped by a pompous mushroom and an elfin creature, Zack braves goblin magic and the icy domain of the Memine to reach the home of the Great Owl. The Owl reveals the key to the Troll King's power. Armed with this knowledge, Zack and his friends race back to the tower thereby setting the stage for the last epic battle between our heroes and the armies of the Troll King.
Website: http://www.theladyofnames.com
Shorts at 8 pm
Freak (18m) dir. by Eric Casaccio
Bit Epicure (5m) dir. by Rosa Aiello
Sisters of Karnataka (26m) dir. by Karl Mattson
Birthday Circle (5m) dir. by Philip Lepherd
Freak (18m) dir. by Eric Casaccio
Bit Epicure (5m) dir. by Rosa Aiello
Sisters of Karnataka (26m) dir. by Karl Mattson
Birthday Circle (5m) dir. by Philip Lepherd
THURSDAY Sept 8
9:30 PM
ANDANTE (96m)dir. by Assaf Tager
SCI-FI/EXPERIMENTAL: In a post-industrial world people are no longer able to dream. A factory run by Mr Terrier sells the frightened, sleepless masses a dreaming experience. Sarah, the single surviving dreamer, sets out to the only place that can provide answers to her strange night-time visions: the dream factory.
Website: http://www.andantefilm.com
FRIDAY Sept 9
6 PM
I Hate Toronto: A Love Story (95m)
dir. by Daniel Wilson
DRAMA/COMEDY: A man endures a horrific tragedy in which he loses everything, so he gives himself a year to live and decides to sleep with as many woman as possible before he dies, but in the process, he learns about love and meets the one woman who could be his reason to keep on living.
Website: http://ihatetorontomovie.com/
Shorts at 8 pmLes Trois Petits Cochons: La crise Porcine (25 m) dir. by Frederic Fortier
The Retreat (30 min) dir. by Chelsea Marino
Burning Sensation (6m) dir. by Saul Berenbaum
The Retreat (30 min) dir. by Chelsea Marino
Burning Sensation (6m) dir. by Saul Berenbaum
FRIDAY Sept 9
9:30 PM
Killer God (84m)
dir. by Stasch Radwanski
THRILLER: When Charlize Elkin is asked by the authorities to fly home to Canada and identify the remains of her dead grandfather Professor Rufus Elkin, she quickly realizes that his studies into the Balinese occult may have caused his death.Charlize must unravel a complex message left by her grandfather: The message hides the island location of three mysterious Balinese statues that hold a fearful secret, a secret that threatens to destroy the mystical balance of the spirit world. (*Winner of the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival)
Website: http://www.killergodmovie.com
SATURDAY Sept 10
6 PM
Still Here (21m) dir. by Alex Camilleri
Pipe Dreams (22m) dir. by Ben Green
ESHA (14m) dir. by Reza Dayha
6 PM
HEMORRHAGE (78 m)
dir. By Braden Croft
THRILLER: Released from a mental institution, murderer Oliver Lorenz attempts to piece together his life when everything falls apart... he falls in love. Now, after a violent relapse, Oliver kidnaps the young woman he loves and hits the road as he evades capture to conquer his homicidal urges. 'Hemorrhage' is a suspense/drama about dealing with the past, self perception and the darker parts of our nature.
Website: http://www.bmcpictures.com/
Shorts at 8 pmWebsite: http://www.bmcpictures.com/
Still Here (21m) dir. by Alex Camilleri
Pipe Dreams (22m) dir. by Ben Green
ESHA (14m) dir. by Reza Dayha
SATURDAY Sept 10
9 PM
Vegucated (76m)
dir. by Marisa Miller Wolfson
DOCUMENTARY: Follow three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. There’s Brian, the bacon-loving bachelor who eats out all the time, Ellen, the single mom who prefers comedy to cooking, and Tesla, the college student who avoids vegetables and bans beans. They have no idea that so much more than steak is at stake and that the fate of the world may fall on their plates. Lured with true tales of weight lost and health regained, they begin to uncover hidden sides of animal agriculture and soon start to wonder whether solutions offered in films like Food, Inc. go far enough. Before long, they find themselves risking everything to expose an industry they supported just weeks before.
Website: http://www.getvegucated.com
SUNDAY Sept 11
6 PM
Heaven + Earth + Joe Davis (85m)
dir. by Peter Sasowsky
DOC. Almost thirty years ago, a peg-legged artist and motorcycle mechanic from Mississippi walked into MITs Center for Advanced Visual Studies and demanded a meeting with the Director. Forty-five minutes later, after trashing the receptionist’s desk and holding off the Cambridge police, Joe Davis walked out with an academic appointment at MIT. His status there has provided him with resources for much of his work - including sending vaginal contractions into space to communicate with aliens, poetry encoded into DNA, and a language to write the world beneath the world.
His is a story of self-discovery, sacrifice, and the complexity of human endeavor, constructed around a theme central to his work; that everything is connected, often in the most unexpected ways.
Website: http://www.joedavisthemovie.com
Shorts at 8 pm
Apartheid Nation (29 m) dir. by Angela O'Leary
Missing Pieces (22m) dir. by Graham Sheppard & Vanessa Jung
SUNDAY Sept 11
9 PM
A Decent Arrangement (98m)
dir. by Sarovar Banka
DRAMA/COMEDY: The story of Ashok Khosla, an Indian-American copywriter, who journeys to India seeking an arranged marriage. After he encounters an American woman traveling through India and is set up with an Indian woman who unexpectedly captivates him, Ashok must navigate the complexity of cultural traditions and the leanings of his own heart. With subtle comedy and true-to-life drama, A Decent Arrangement shows us a side of India not commonly seen by western audiences and delivers an affecting story that resonates with those of us in search of our place in a changing world.
Website: http://www.adecentarrangement.com
MONDAY Sept 12
6 PM
Leatha Accidents (88m)
dir. by Nicholas Kinsey
COMEDY: Fran and Jessica are neighbors and best friends. Fran is Brick’s trophy wife and a Perfection Cosmetics sales rep, while Jessica is Mal’s wife and a grocery store demonstrator. The only dark cloud in the friendship is their husbands. Brick is “so boring” and wants babies, a desire that Fran certainly does not share. Mal is a drunk and having an affair with his ex-wife Dana. One day Mal tells Jessica he has put up the house for sale and they are moving out. This is last straw for the two best friends who decide that their husbands must go - violently.
Shorts at 8 pm
Underground (13m) dir. by sandra lim
Hope (21m) dir. by Steven Ahola
Cut Throat (16) dir. by Richard Rotter
MONDAY SEPT 12
9 PM
True Nature (92m)
dir. by Patrick Steele
THRILLER: The Pascal family has it all - wealth, power, privilege - but their picture perfect lives change forever when their college-athlete daughter Marianne disappears one night while running. She mysteriously returns a year later with no memory of what happened to her. Despite being haunted by strange visions and nightmares that encroach upon her waking hours, Marianne struggles to resume a normal life. But other forces are at work and the world the Pascals have built starts to unravel the closer Marianne gets to discovering that somewhere between life and death, lies the truth.
Website: http://www.truenaturethefilm.com/
TUESDAY Sept 13
6 PM
Fighting Fish (84m)
dir. by Annette Apitz
DRAMA: 21-year-old David still lives at home in upstate New York, caring for his small siblings while his mother recuperates in a mental institution. Though he aches to leave and find his own way in life, he also feels responsible to his family. His wild, complicated, and beautiful sister Alice suddenly returns home after a long absence, and new domestic tensions erupt. When David falls in love with the new girl in town, Alice is driven to desperate measures to keep her brother close, and her world intact.
Website: http://www.fightingfishfilm.com
Shorts at 8 pm
Protect The Nation (16m) dir. by C.R. Reisser
Istvan-even there no kiddin (5m) dir. by Mike Yuhasz
The Breakout (10m) dir. by Tyler Williams
Sunday Night Dinner (8m) dir. by Jean Mahoney
TUESDAY Sept 13
9 PM
Three Veils (117m)
dir. by Rolla Selbak
DRAMA: The lives of three young Middle Eastern women intertwine as they struggle to defy tradition and create their own realities. From an arranged marriage and a lesbian love affair to an abusive family situation, the film daringly tackles issues Middle Eastern women are confronted with today and carries a unique social message that women worldwide can relate to.
Website: http://threeveilsmovie.com
WEDNESDAY Sept 14
6 PM
Finding Shakespeare (36m)
dir. by Virginia Beld
DOCUMENTARY: Four summer stock actors preparing for and executing roles from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. These actors discuss taking on the roles of Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, and Tybalt. They also discuss why they are involved in theater and why they think Shakespeare is so important even in the modern world of mass media
WEDNESDAY Sept 14
6:40 PM
Never Happen Here: The Whitehorse 9/11 Story (45m)
dir. by Max Fraser
DOCUMENTARY: On 9/11, the safe peaceful world of a remote northern town was shattered when a 'hijacked' 747 approached with fighter jets on its tail. Already shaken that day by images of the tragedy in New York, thousands of parents raced in panic to find their children after hearing RCMP say on the radio that schools have been evacuated. Until 9/11, the people of Whitehorse thought that kind of thing could 'never happen here.' Almost ten years later, questions are still asked about why a hostile Korean airliner was diverted to Canada and not land in Alaska. This documentary reveals new information about the mysterious flight of KAL 085, a strange but true story. A northern point of view documentary with national and international dimensions.
Website: http://maxfraser.ca
Shorts at 8 pm
Ken Fucks Up (5m) dir. by Ruby Boutilier
Tick Tock (9m) dir. by Keffrey Reyna
Lullaby for Ray (18m) dir. by Marina Shron
An Evening with My Comatose Mother (33m) dir. by Jonathan Martin
WEDNESDAY SEPT 14
9 PM
Blue Collar Boys (92m)
dir. by Mark Nistico
DRAMA: A 27-year-old construction worker must take over his father's business in order to save his family. Motivated by financial hardship, Red and his lifelong friends fall into a lifestyle of hatred and thirst for revenge. Together, they are faced with a dilemma that will test their morals, faith, and ultimately, their loyalties to each other. In a world that refuses to let the working man thrive, they want a better way.
THURSDAY Sept 14
6 PM
MARRIED IN SPANDEX (55m)
dir. by Devin Gallagher, Allison Kole
DOCUMENTARY: A love story about Amanda and Rachel, a young lesbian couple who decide to go from Philadelphia to Ames, Iowa to get married by gold lame devotee and lady rapper Leslie Hall. While the couple begins the trip as a wacky adventure for themselves and their friends, it quickly becomes a family affair in an unfamiliar state.
Website: http://www.marriedinspandex.com
Shorts at 8 pm
Music Videos
20 Minutes of Oxygen (4m) dir. by Mike Jackson
Harpies (4m) dir. by Jeff Allyn Szwast
Closer (3 m) dir. by Diana Cordero
Me You Tonight Fuck (3m) dir. by Jason Chilicott
3 Songs from Trailer Hell (10m) dir. by Jackson Hill
Corps et ames (7m.Canada) dir. by Robert Paquin
Just another Thing (3m) dir. by Jon Reno
Chapel Song (3m) dir. by Matthew Mills
Don't Wake Me Up (4 m) dir. by Lydia Galeno
Baths-Lovely Bloodflow (4 m) dir. Alex Takacs
Legalize (6m) dir. by Thomas Simon
You Told A Lie (4m) dir. by Charles Quinn Frutos
Judaaiyaan - The Separation (7m) dir. by Harpreet Sandhu
FRIDAY Sept 16
6 PM
No Fun City (85m)
dir. by Melissa James & Kate Kroll
DOCUMENTARY: Is live music being silenced? Cities from Montreal to Melbourne are experiencing the death of the independent live music venue. With the proliferation of condo developments in low-income artist communities, ensuing noise complaints, the commercialization of large music venues, and the rise in stringent city zoning and liquor regulations, small local music venues around the world are struggling to stay open. No Fun City is a Rock 'n Roll journey to the heart of a creative community that is fighting these conflicting business interests and city regulations with the relentless fuel of music and determination.
Website: http://www.nofuncity.org
Shorts AT 8 pm
HORROR Shorts (very scary!)
Enter The Dark (18m) dir. by Todd Miro
The Suicide Tapes (25m) dir. by Billy Senese
Black Goat (5m) dir. by Joseph Nanni
Stealin' Home (16m) dir. by Joe Mari
FRIDAY Sept 16
9:30 PM
The Watermen (92m)
dir. by Matt Lockhart
HORROR: A group of friends set out for the deep sea fishing trip of a lifetime aboard a million-dollar dreamboat. Suddenly, an electrical fire sets the party adrift with no way to contact help. As the days pass, food and water run short and the crew becomes desperate. A bad situation turns worse when they are captured by a group of backwoods watermen intent on terrorizing and killing them. It's a fight for survival as the friends try to escape the remote island and merciless clutches of the watermen.
Website: http://thewatermenmovie.com
SATURDAY Sept 17
6 PM
The Pack (95m)
dir. by Alyssa Rallo Bennett
DRAMA: A portrait of a family torn apart by cancer. Non-smoker Jack Jordan has died of lung cancer at the age of 47, presumably brought on by 30 years of breathing his wife Eleanor's second-hand smoke. An ambitious Assistant DA brings Eleanor to trial on murder charges, and Jack Jr., their son, is caught in the middle.
Website: http://thepack.info
Shorts at 8 pm
Slip Cue (25m) dir. by Robin Kupferman
Come Here Go Away (10m) dir. by Craig Macnaughton
Legalize (6m) dir. by Thomas Simon
SATURDAY Sept 17
9:30 PM
Fanny, Annie & Danny (82m)
dir. by Chris Brown
DRAMA: Fanny is a developmentally disabled 39-year-old living in a home for dependent adults. Her world starts to implode when the candy factory where she works goes bankrupt. The oldest of three children, Fanny has long been a source of strain and resentment within her family. Her jittery sister Annie has spent her life taking care of her, while their successful but elusive brother Danny has thus far escaped responsibility. When the three siblings are forced by their powerful mother to reunite for a holiday dinner, everyone's worst fears are realized.
Website: http://www.fannyannieanddanny.com
Deputy Director takes a well-earned rest at THE ROYAL Resort in Cancun, Mexico.Whaddya think? Should we start a "TO indie" South film Festival?
(photo by Bill Vanderford)
Submission Deadlines for 2011
The Toronto Independent Film Festival accepts submissions from any country.
Early Submissions Period -- Nov 1, 2010 to Jan 21, 2011
* Early Submissions Deadline -- January 21, 2011
* Early Submissions Deadline -- January 21, 2011
Regular Submissions Period -- Jan 22, 2011 to April 1, 2011
* Regular Submissions Deadline -- April 1, 2011
* Regular Submissions Deadline -- April 1, 2011
Late Submissions Period -- April 2, 2011 to July 15, 2011
* Late Submissions Deadline -- July 15, 2011
All filmmakers will be notified before August 16, 2011.
Festival Categories
The Toronto Independent Film Festival is open to international films in one of the following categories:
Feature Film (budget over $250k USD)
Micro-budget Feature (budget under $250k USD)
No-Budget Feature (budget under $25k USD)
Documentary Feature
Female Director Feature
LGBT film
Short Film
Short Documentary
Animated Short
Experimental Short
Horror / Sci-Fi Short
Music Video
Screenplay Award categories:
Feature Screenplay
Sci-Fi / Horror Screenplay
Comedy Screenplay
Micro-budget Feature (budget under $250k USD)
No-Budget Feature (budget under $25k USD)
Documentary Feature
Female Director Feature
LGBT film
Short Film
Short Documentary
Animated Short
Experimental Short
Horror / Sci-Fi Short
Music Video
Screenplay Award categories:
Feature Screenplay
Sci-Fi / Horror Screenplay
Comedy Screenplay
Entry Fees
All entries must be shipped prepaid, fees are in $ USDFees for feature films are $85 early, $90 regular, $95 late .
Fees for short films are $55 early, $60 regular, $65 late.
Music videos are $35 early, $40 regular, $45 late
Fees for feature scripts are $55 early, $60 regular, $65 late.
Please send any related press materials, including electronic press kit, and photos info@film-fest.ca
Our submissions address for film screeners is:
Toronto Independent Film Festival
2100 Bloor St. West, Suite 6130
Toronto, Ontario, M6S 5A5 Canada
Filmmakers please note: Although due care will be exercised, Toronto Indie cannot assume any liability for damage to entries.
2010 schedule
Filmmakers, Directors, Artists & Fans
Poster design and artworkGeorge Shewchuk @ Shewchuk Creative
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Wednesday September 8th
* Armless (82 min) 6:00pm
* Shorts Block 7:40pm-8:40pm
* Sonabai: Another Way of Seeing (30m +10m Q&A)
* Charlie and the Rabbit (10m)
* If (4m)
* Opening Gala Feature:
The Red Machine 9:00pm
The Red Machine, an intriguingly ingenious Cold War thrillerby Los Angeles-based Stephanie Argy and Alec Boehm,
was the gala presentation at the TO indie
Thursday September 9th
Enigma (42 min) 6:00pm-7:00pm
Shorts Block 7:15pm-8:45pm
* A Dark Radius (22m + 10m Q&A)
* My Mom Smokes Weed (20m)
* Bunky The Vampire Killer (15m)
Earthling (114m) 9:00pm – 11pm
----------------
Elika Portnoy, star, and as Elika Trifonova, producer of "Immigration Tango" was one of many filmmakers to hold a "Q & A". (photo by Steve Veale)
Friday September 10th
Open (90m) 6:00pm-7:30pm
Shorts Block 7:45pm-8:45pm
* The Story of Uxbridge Station (30m +10m Q&A)
* The Lift (2m)
* Take My Wife (18m)
* The Phone Call (5 m + 10 m Q&A)
Immigration Tango (90m + 20m Q&A) 9:00pm – 10:30pm
------------------
Four Filmmakers (left to right)
Frank Weyer ("Tales from the Catholic Church of Elvis"), Mark Terry ("The Antarctica Challenge") Mike Walter ("Breaking News, Breaking Down") and Matthew Panepinto ("Santorini Blue")
(photo by Steve Veale)
---------------------------------------------------
Saturday September 11th
Saturday September 11th
The Antarctica Challenge (52m + 20m Q&A) 6:00pm-7:00pm
Shorts Block 7:30pm-8:45pm
* Breaking News Breaking Down (19m + 10m Q&A)
* Chroma (7m + 10m Q&A)
* Family Jewels (21m)
* Sleepless (2m)
Tales from the Catholic Church of Elvis! (86m + 20m Q&A)
9:00pm – 10:40pm
Mercy Malick transformed her one-woman stage play about Elvis and other weirdness into a delightfully funny and bizarre "coming-of-age" story in the wild and warped entity that is Las Vegas.
------------------------------
Sunday September 12th
The Mountain Music Project (56m) 6:00pm-7:00pm
Shorts Block 7:20pm-8:40pm
* My Father, Joe (9m + 10m Q&A)
* Can We Talk? (11m)
* Animal Drill (24m)
Santorini Blue (103m + 20m Q&A) 9:00pm – 10:40pm
Matthew Panepinto and Deirdre Lorenz, the multi-talented actors, writers, directors and producers of "Santorini Blue", brought some red-carpet Hollywood glamour to the TO indie. (photo by Veale)
----------------------
Monday September 13th
Death of the Virgin (98m) 6:00pm-7:40pm
Shorts Block 8:00pm-9:00pm
* Ms. Thing (7m + 10m Q&A)
* The Freshwater Plague (10m +10m Q&A)
* A Drop in the Bucket (23m)
* Skylight (5m)
Trippin’ (88m) 9:15pm – 10:45pm
---------------------
Joseph Tito, director of the horror film "Death of the Virgin" with one of his guests Josie Haupt. (photo by Steve Veale)
Tuesday September 14th
Anne Perry -- Interiors (88m) 6:00pm-7:30pm
Shorts Block 7:45pm-9:00pm
* In the Dominican (14m + 10m Q&A)
* New Media (20m)
* Claiming the Title: Gay Olympics On Trial (29m)
Burlesque Fairytales (83m) 9:15pm – 10:45pm
----------------------
Faithful Filmgoers (from left) Jane and John Evans with Madeleine Greey, supported the TO indie during its 11-night run. (photo by Steve Veale)
Wednesday September 15th
Four Roses (80m) 6:00pm-7:20pm
Shorts Block 7:40pm-9:00pm
* Bedfellows (15m + 10m Q&A)
* LIMINAL (14m)
* The Day I Thought I Died (10m)
* The Tea Master (10m)
* Escape from Death Planet (7m)
Beyond The Pole (88m) 9:15pm – 10:45pm (77m)
---------------
Pierre Stefanos, director of "Bedfellows", a repeat presentation
by popular demand at the TO indie in the Short Film category
(photo by Steve Veale)
-----------
Thursday September 16th
Guerilla Midwife (61m) 6:00pm-7:10pm
Music Video Block 7:30pm-8:45pm
* Smells Like Teen Spirit (5m + 5m Q&A)
* Rock Plaza Central: Handsome Men (4m + 5m Q&A)
* Shadows on the Wall (2m + 5m Q&A)
* Delica-m: Better Believe This (5m)
* Kisses in the Night (5m)
* Golem (4m)
* Let Me In (3m)
Crimson Mask (85m) 9:00pm – 10:30pm
The audience from the final Saturday September 18 gala of "Piffers"fills the downstairs lobby
of the Toronto Underground Cinema (photo by Steve Veale)
Friday September 17th
The Camera’s Eye (74m + 20m Q&A) 6:00pm-7:20pm
Shorts Block 8:00pm-8:45pm
* Bedfellows (15m + 10m Q&A)
* Lens & Pens: Art in an Unexpected Place (27m + 10m Q&A)
* Chenrezig (11m + 10 Q&A)
DungeonCrawl (95m + 20m Q&A) 9:00pm – 10:40pm
-----------------
Creator and director of the gamers' delight "Dungeon Crawl" at his premiere with his niece and nephew (photo by Steve Veale)
Saturday September 18th
Orgasm Inc. (80m) 6:00pm-7:20pm
Shorts Block 7:40pm-8:40pm
* Confessional (8m +10m Q&A)
* Acornucopia (5m)
* Mildred Richards (23m +10m Q&A)
* Zillion Things Before Breakfast (7 min + Q&A)
Pay in Full (98m +20m Q&A) 9:00pm – 10:40pm
-----------------
The multi-talented Walter Alza (right) writer, director and star of "Piffers"speaks to Deputy Director Steve Veale at the gala finale
for the TO indie film Festival (photo by Jane Hales)
---------------------------------------
Newspaper ad for NOW Magazine
designed by George Shewchuk
@ Shewchuk Creative
SHORT FILMS
WED Sept 8
Sonabai: Another Way of Seeing (30m)
dir. by David Berez
Documentary. While imprisoned by her husband for fifteen years, a woman in central India invents an entirely new art form that expresses life's joy. Cultural anthropologist Stephen Huyler.
Charlie and the Rabbit (10m)
dir. by Robert Machoian/ Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
Charlie a 4-year-old and lover of Bugs Bunny decides to go hunt a rabbit of his own.
If (4m)
dir. by Robert Thomson
Explores a man's grief after his partner is killed in a car accident.
----------------
First nighter Gordon Clint speaks with filmmaker and cultural anthropologist Stephen Huyler about his book, a companion piece to his film "Sonabai: A Different Way of Seeing" (photo by Steve Veale)
----------------
THURS Sept 9
A Dark Radius (22m)
dir. by Gia Milani
A former military woman must free her activist sister who has infiltrated a human trafficking ring.
My Mom Smokes Weed (20m)
dir. by Clay Liford
A geriatric mother and her twenty-something son on a road trip to meet some dastardly drug dealers in order to replenish a supply of certain herbs.
Beware of Bear (19m)
dir. by Vicky Vellopoulou
A photographer for a nature magazine, arrives in a remote village in Epirus to do a story. The inhabitants of the village are guarded towards him. And things get worse when he finds out that a wild beast, a bear, roams the surrounding woods and has already killed one person.
---------------------
The stunning Jane Hales delivered a memorable performance in her introductory film debut in Walter Alza's "Piffers" (photo by Steve Veale)
FRI Sept 10
The Story of Uxbridge Station (30m)
dir. by Mark Magro
Documentary. Trains built nations and forever changed the way we live. Sometimes overshadowed by time, their importance should never be forgotten. In a small community, an old train station tells the tale of how it all began.
Sleepless (2m)
dir. by Laura Tryon
Animation. Late one night, a boy just can't seem to fall asleep, so he resorts to counting sheep.
Take My Wife (18m)
dir. by Brett Carlson
A married couple intending to hire a gigolo to save their stale sex life mistakenly hires a hitman.
Laura Tyron (right) and her Mother drove from Ottawa to see her animated short film "Sleepless" for the first time on The Big Screen (photo by Steve Veale)
SAT Sept 11
Breaking News Breaking Down (19m)
dir. by Mike Walter
Documentary. Shows how getting the big story can get to the journalists, in many cases affecting their emotional well being.
Chroma (7m)
dir. by Colin Racicot
A man returns to his childhood home and discovers how much he truly loved his father. He encounters souvenirs filled with colors and nostalgia.
Family Jewels (21m)
dir. by Martin Stitt
Leaving family is the hardest part.
The Lift (5m)
dir. by Robert Kohr
Animation. Explores the consequences of not holding the elevator door open for someone eager to get on or worse, pushing the close button.
-----------
SUN Sept 12
My Father, Joe (9m)
dir. by Nikila Cole
A heartfelt look at a family who has escaped the Nazis in Paris and arrived penniless in Canada.
Lens & Pens: Art in an Unexpected Place (27m)
dir. by Deborah J. Schull
Documentary. Tells the story of a transformative poetry, painting, and photography workshop for criminally insane patients held under maximum security at Washington, DC's, historic St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.
Animal Drill (24m)
dir. by Patrick Murphy
A son must prove his manhood to his father by trying out for a high school basketball team.
------------
Filmmaker Nikila Cole (second from left) and her relatives at the Toronto premiere of her award-winning film "My Father Joe" (photo by Steve Veale)
MON Sept 13
Ms. Thing (7m)
dir. by Karen X. Tulchinsky
Tells the story of an emotionally volatile urban lesbian who is looking for love in all the wrong places until unexpectedly, she finds total fulfillment in an unusual package.
The Freshwater Plague (10m)
dir. by Jake Chirico
Documentary. A small town is overrun by a horde of insects.
A Drop in the Bucket (23m)
dir. by Lauren Shaw
Documentary. A hopeful and lyrical tale about people reaching across international boundaries to help provide clean water in rural Cambodia.
Skylight (5m)
dir. by David Baas
Animation. About the ecological plight of penguins in the Antarctic, possibly foretelling cataclysmic results for the rest of the world.
---------------------
TUES Sept 14
In the Dominican (14m)
dir. by Adam Macdonald
Alan works at a resort. He has a nice, stable life. But one day, his brother Hector goes missing, knowing Hector has ties to the criminal world Alan must speak to Carl Len, an expat from the U.S.
New Media (20m)
dir. by J. J Adler
Living in the lap of luxury through no achievement of his own, an out of touch, middle-aged poseur tries to make good by getting in on the 'viral video' craze.
Claiming the Title: Gay Olympics On Trial (29m)
dir. by Jonathan Joiner, Robert Martin
Documentary. In 1982, an athletic group tries to hold a “Gay Olympics,” instigating what will ultimately become a battle at the U.S. Supreme Court and a challenge over the place of gays and lesbians in American society.
------------
Filmmaker Adam Macdonald and his buddy in the background (Jason Statham) prepare for the premiere of Adam's atmospheric short Film "In the Dominican" at the To indie. (photo by Steve Veale)
---------------
WED Sept 15
LIMINAL (14m)
dir. by Stephen Keep Mills
Two women are locked in a battle of life and death.
The Day I Thought I Died (10m)
dir. by David McCallum
Explores the greater meaning of our lives and the impact that the loss of that life has on both ourselves and those around us.
The Tea Master (10m)
dir. by Aaron Au
An elderly man crosses paths with a rogue Samurai who challenges him to a duel after discovering the Elderly Man is in possession of an Imperial Sword.
Escape from Death Planet (7m)
dir. by James Cadden
Workers on a distant planet are attacked by unknown life forms and forced to evacuate. Three of them are accidentally left behind and have only one chance of escape.
Bedfellows (15m)
dir. by Pierre Stefanos
Follows the adventure of 20-something Bobby as he returns to the gay bar where he got his heart broken for the first time.
---------------
David McCallum of Toronto's Tattersall Sound presented his Short Film "The Day I Thought I Died" at the Toronto Underground Cinema. (photo by Steve Veale)
THURS Sept 16
MUSIC VIDEO Block
Kisses in the Night (5m)
dir. by Rosanna Saracino
Rock Plaza Central: (Don't you believe the word of) Handsome Men (4m)
dir. by Josh Lyon
Shadows on the Wall (2m)
dir. by Mena Nunes
Animation. Tells the story of a cup through its birthing process, its fear of change, and its final transition to a different stage of life.
Golem (4m)
dir. by Joy Vaccese, Noelle Vaccese
Smells Like Teen Spirit (5m)
dir. by Thomas Simon
Delica-m: Better Believe This (5m)
dir. by Herman Wang
Let Me In (3m)
dir. by Matthew Schutt
---------------
Filmmaker-musicians Husband and wife team of Thomas & Jillie Simon celebrate the repeat showing of their music video "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on Thursday's special Music Block Night (photo by Steve Veale)
--------------
FRI Sept 17
Bedfellows (15m) (* note: Repeat from Wed)
dir. by Pierre Stefanos
Follows the adventure of 20-something Bobby as he returns to the gay bar where he got his heart broken for the first time.
Can We Talk? (11m)
dir. by Jim Owen
Vince gets way more than he bargains for when he dumps his girlfriend. Again.
Chenrezig (11m)
dir. by Doug LeConte
Documentary. Explores the relationship between Art, the Sacred, and the pathway of peaceful action.
Delica-m presented "Better Believe This". Richard Sung, Steve Lambert, Emily Burt, Herman Wang and Chris Brazeau. (photo by Veale)
SAT Sept 18
Confessional (8m)
dir. by Peter Malcolm
A taxicab driver picks up a plaintiff accused of fraud and headed to court to hear his verdict.
Mildred Richards (23m)
dir. by Marc Kess
Mildred, an egomaniacal, nearly bankrupt actress, enlists the assistance of her reluctant brother, Gerald, to wrest away the fortune of their elderly, ailing aunt.
Acornucopia (5m)
dir. by Jason Ryan
Animation. Two worlds collide when a curious little red squirrel comes to the aid of a mechanical robot bird, and in return is rewarded with a gift that will change their landscape forever.
Filmmaker Tyler Young and sister Tamara celebrate his first film festival ("A Zillion Things Before Breakfast") at the Rivoli. (photo by Steve Veale)
With Thanks and Appreciation
To Donald Nausbaum
....for his years of friendship and expertise in show production - as well as his invaluable assistance in organizing the 2010 TO indie Film Festival.
(photo by Steve Veale)
To Art Director George Shewchuk
.....for his stunning Posters, postcards, logos, letterhead, cards and all-things TO indie. (photo by Steve Veale)
To Colin & Patty at The Anderson Press
....for a spectacular printing jobs regarding all-things To indie.
And for being such great tee-shirts models.
(photo by Steve Veale)
To Andre Rosenbaum...owner of The Rivoli - along with his great staff - for hosting such great parties. Andre with Dierdre Lorenz and Matthew Panepinto. (photo by Steve Veale)
Alex, Charlie & Nigel - The Boys of the Toronto Underground Cinema
...for service over and above the call of duty and running a terrific theatre operation 24/7
