Can't wait for next year!

The last day of the 20th TIFF boasted a total number of 68,705 attendees and 326 screenings over the course of nine days, a staggering if not impressive number.

Kurosawa
Moreover, the red carpet held in Bunkamura on the last day, saw the likes of Lord David Puttnam, recipient of this year’s Akira Kurosawa Award. He shared with the audience, a heart felt story upon the only meeting he ever had with “The giant in movie-making, Akira Kurosawa himself.” Puttnam went on to say that it was unfortunate that their only meeting be at a funeral. Wanting Kurosawa’s autograph Puttnam pulled out a handkerchief, borrowed lipstick from the woman standing beside him approached Kurosawa. Puttnam lightheartedly goes on to say that the handkerchief with Kurosawa’s autograph in lipstick is framed in his office to this very day.

Howitt
Another standout at this year’s TIFF was Peter Howitt whom I knew would win some sort of award for his brilliant film Dangerous Parking. Seeing him going onstage to receive his award for best director, it was hard for me to separate his personality from his character in the movie. He seemed to be one and the same onstage as in the film, accepting his award with amusing quips, playful antics, and outrageously funny quotes that kept everyone in stitches. He thanked everyone directly and indirectly with the making of his film. The first half of his speech following the same formula as his movie, going for laughs, while the second act saw him adapt a more subdued tone, thanking his lovely wife and his unborn daughter Amy and Stuart Browne whom the film is based on but unfortunately passed away before Howitt could finish.

Maira
Award for best Artistic contribution went to Salvatore Maira for The Waltz which was entirely done in one take. Producer Gianmario Feletti was so jubilant at winning, that before walking offstage he informed the audience that they were returning to Italy the following day to begin shooting a new film which they would definitely be bringing to next year’s TIFF!

Kolirin
The winner of this year’s Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix Award went to Eran Kolirin for The Band’s Visit. Eran boyishly shied away from all the attention given him, opting instead to have his lead actor Sasson Gabi speak, saying he, Gabi, was happy to have helped fulfill Eran’s dream of making a feature length film and delighted at the prospect of receiving such a prestigious award.

After the awrds
There was a large explosion that filled the theatre, streamers of all colors shot up through the air, smoothly cascading down toward the audience to signal the end of the festival.

But the festival was not quite over.

The closing screening was Francois Girard’s Silk. Girard himself with his cast onstage: Michael Pitt, Koji Yakusho, Sei Ashina, Miki Nakatani, Jun Kunimura, Kanata Hongo. All expressed their thanks to each other, Pitt himself, and Girard for the chance they all had to work on the same movie.

I made myself comfortable, hoping for Silk to sweep me away, ending the festival on a mellifluous note.

Except, when the end credits started rolling, I felt forlorn, Silk was not what it seemed. It was more like an ambivalent film of love and loss with a lot of loose plot ends that were hastily wrapped up to conclude the movie. I left the theatre disconjointed, seeking some sense of closure.

Then it hit me, Feletti’s words, “Next year’s TIFF!” I can’t wait.