An Open Letter to Young Film Makers at TIFF

Dear Young Canadian Film Makers at TIFF,

I’m going to lay it all out on the table for you.  Are you ready?  Here it is: If you pretend to care, maybe we’ll pretend to care.

Before you say “but we’re filmmakers, not actors”, let me remind you that as soon as your film was chosen to debut at this prestigious film festival, you were on.  Do you think George Clooney wants to trudge all the way up to Toronto to shill his latest flick?  Sure he does, because he knows that he’ll get the glam squad at his feet and the attention of
the oh-so-important media.  Is it fun?  Not always.  Is it tiring?  Yes.  But you’ll see nary a photo of him looking glum or bored – he knows the drill; he knows what it takes to sell a movie.

To quote the musical geniuses Kander & Ebb “though you are stiffer than a girder, they’ll let you get away with murder, Razzle Dazzle ’em and you’ve got a romance”.  (Works for U2: they haven’t released a decent album since 1991, but look how they’re being feted…) 

What these photos show clearly is that the Talent to Watch: New Face of Canadian Cinema panel came on and a funeral broke out.  Atom Egoyan wasn’t encouraging, he was eulogizing and it appeared as if you all were wishing you were in the sweet hereafter.

 At the end of the day you’re in the entertainment business, no matter what depressing, indie, cutting edge, art house, subtitled, dark Canadian drama you’ve just made.  When you’re in front of an audience, follow the sage advice of Charlie Chaplin and “Smile.” And show at little respect; at least pretend you’re interested in what the one of 2 Canadian directors whose name and work the average Canuck has even heard of is saying.

Well, I’m glad we’ve got that settled.  Because some of your trailers looked really good.  Now, on to see Brad & Angie.  I bet they’re smiling… and they have 400 children.

Yours in heels,

Racheal