Best selling author turned screenwriter/producer Jon Land flew up from Providence to set up two of his original features DIRTY DEEDS and SCORE, as well as best selling novel A WALK IN THE DARKNESS, speaking with Canadian/Israeli director Daniel Oron, who's film short, ROY premiered at the Boston Film Festival in 2000. Local film consultant and festival organizer, David Kleiler, made his appearance well known as he continued his efforts of setting up a New England Film Circuit and prepared for Boston Underground Film Festival (aka BUFF). Those who have left Boston behind, but still pay it homage, were also in attendance including B.U. grad David Dinerstein, Co-President of Paramount Classics who had three features at the festival, and Harvard grad Tracy Bing, who has recently taken over as V.P. of Development and Acquisitions at the newly established Warner Independent Pictures.

Feature films were as usual stellar at Toronto, with the programming continuing to be unparalleled in the worldwide market. Favorites included Bolivian film SEXUAL DEPENDENCY by first time feature director Rodrigo Bellott, which must be seen on a big screen to be appreciated for its profound imagery and performances by a wholly unknown cast; ONE LOVE co-directed by Rick Elgood and Don Letts, which was part of the Planet Africa program, and will be released by Palm Pictures, telling a story of humor, love and conflict between Rasta music and gospel, as a song writer, played compellingly by Ky-mani Marley (son of Bob) and vocalist, performed by musical notable Cherine Anderson, much bridge the gap between two fiercely opposing worlds on the island of Jamaica in order to win acceptance and recognition as they battle a music drug lord.

Also LOVE, SEX AND EATING THE BONES directed by first time feature filmmaker Sudz Sutherland as part of the Perspective Canada program, which won the award for Best Canadian First Feature Film, telling the story of a yuppie woman who has all but given up on love, and the artist that doesn't fit the bill at all, but wins her heart. Great performances by Canadian talent Hill Harper (BELOVED) and Marlyne N. Afflack (David Mamet's HEIST). In the documentary category, MOLLY & MOBARAK directed by Tom Zubrycki and part of the "Reel to Reel" program, stood out, examining the life of a young Afghani who's attempts to integrate into Australian suburban life meet several challenges and result in a broken heart, but new-found hope, intriguing audiences, as it breaks down stereotypes propogated by the Bush Administration as war continues to ravage Afghanistan. The big showpiece this year of course, was Sofia Coppola's (VIRGIN SUICIDES) excellent second feature, LOST IN TRANSLATION (Bill Murray, Scarlett Johannson), which was only hyped because it deserved it, and father Francis Ford Coppola, who helped produce, came in to town to support daughter and film.

While the parties and events seemed to get smaller this year, as Alliance Atlantis pulled back, canceling its major event at the Royal Ontario Museum of Art, the atmosphere appeared upbeat by filmmakers and film attendees alike. FilmPro Finance, wholly owned by the author of this article, co-hosted a party with local Toronto-based production company, Middox, founded by actress/producer Maureen Ludford and producer Mark Henderson at fashionable hotspot WISH, where the drinks, food and schmooze was abundant and attended by an international crowd of filmmakers, distributors, financiers and talent.

Other hotspots to hang and meet this year continued to be the Four Seasons, where star spottings such as William H. Macy (SEA BISCUIT, STATE AND MAIN) and Kim Cattrall (SEX IN THE CITY) were frequent. Over at the Hyatt Regency, Canadian screenwriter, Barry Brown, who has penned the notable SARA, a true story about Sara Edmonds, who ran away from home in Canada during the 1840s to Boston, and joined the Yankees, dressed in disguise as a man, becoming a spy in the effort to fight slavery, schmoozed with Director/actor Denzel Washington (ANTWONE FISHER, GLORY) about his project; while on the Hyatt rooftop, especially popular for the in-set, LA-based producer Elena Baranova, who visits family frequently in Boston, schmoozed with fellow Montrealer Tommy Groszman about projects they are putting together; as Technicolor's Charlie Herzfeld held court in the corner with various business associates. All in all, it was a good year to be at Toronto with the next major industry event, and possibly last MIFED, just two months away, and projects gear up to get tax funds before year-ends take hold.