TIFF '06 - Day One

Tonight was the start of the Toronto International Film Festival, and I was on duty at Roy Thomson Hall for the opening night Gala. Just one film tonight, The Journals of Knud Rasmussen. The Journals is the second feature by Zacharias Kunuk. His first film, Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner), was the first feature film entirely in the Inuktitut language and won the Palm D'or at Cannes in 2001.

Because the subject is "difficult" and there are no Hollywood stars attendance was on the light side. This was good because it gave us a soft start to the Festival in terms of sorting out new procedures. It also meant that all the volunteers that wanted to see the film were able to do so, except me... As a Volunteer Captain I have to stick around longer for debriefing and other matters, with the result that I never get to see a film when I'm Captain.

Previous Festivals I only saw films that I volunteered for. That routine is now out the window! I'm thinking of having a movie marathon tomorrow and trying to get to three Press and Industry screenings during the day. I need an early night Friday because I have to get up before dawn to get to my triathlon race in Wasaga Beach.

• The Journals of Knud Rasmussen: A press screening of tonight's Gala. The story of a Danish explorer's encounter with the last great Inuit shaman in the 1920's.
• Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan: A guilty pleasure: Sacha Baron Cohen's (aka Ali G.) guerilla comedy about cultural and racial prejudice.
• Ten Canoes: An interesting-sounding Australian film about aboriginal mythology.

I guess I'm starting the Festival by "going native." I'm off on Days Two and Three because of my triathlon.

Listening to: Slide by Goo Goo Dolls from Dizzy Up The Girl.