The Toronto International Film Festival is in full swing and while TIFF Nexus’ presence skews towards the Industry side of things during the festival with a panel on the film and video game adaptation of William Gibson’s Neuromancer and a swanky networking reception, that doesn’t stop TIFF’s fantastic film program from yielding a few titles that I think are particularly TIFF Nexus-y.

But before I get to that, I would just like to introduce myself as the moderator of the TIFF Nexus Blog. My name is Peter Kuplowsky, I am a hat enthusiast and all-around aficionado of movies and video –games; a cartridge of Earthbound by day, 35mm print of the Indonesian remake of The Terminator by night kind of guy, if you get my meaning…  I will be frequently updating you about TIFF Nexus events on this blog as we roll out a series of industry conferences, game jams and networking events, all in an effort to foster an exciting new community that marries film, gaming and new media under one stimulating and potentially Three’s Company-esque roof. Onwards!

Be you a gamer, game developer, hardware hacker, or simply keen to push a few digital paradigms around, if TIFF Nexus excites you, then so should one of these five films playing this year at TIFF:

1. ORA

Utilizing 3D thermal imaging to capture an ensemble of dancing bodies choreographed by Jose Navas, filmmaker Philippe Bayaucq achieves a hypnotic and colourful spectacle without a single light source. Even if the aesthetic results don’t intrigue you, the technology and its potential alone should captivate and spark discussion.  (Screens Sept. 14^th @ TIFF Bell Lightbox @ 5:30pm & Sept. 15^th @ TIFF Bell Lightbox @ 1:00pm)

 

2. Urbanized

A documentary on the considerations that go into the development and construction of urban spaces is exactly the kind of film that appeals to us at TIFF Nexus. Popularly figured in cinema theory, Charles Baudelaire’s concept of the flaneur, an individual privileged with the ability to navigate the labyrinth of a city, seeking stimulation, but always maintaining a discrete detachment from their surroundings, can be aptly applied to the contemporary video gamer, especially with the increasing popularity of “sandbox” games like Grand Theft Auto and their efforts to construct immersive virtual cities that reward passive exploration.  That it is directed by Gary Hustwit, director of the two incredible design documentaries Helvetica and Objectified, is also a big plus! (Screens Sept. ^9th @ Ryerson @ 3:00pm, Sept. 1^1th @ AMC 10 @1:15pm & Sept. 1^6th @ AMC 6 @ 9:15pm)

 

3. Optra Field VII-IX

Described by Wavelength’s programmer Andrea Picard as “pixel paintings for perceiving perception, and moiré to the max”, the latest instalment in T. Marie’s Optra Field series experiments with striking diagonal grid compositions just may inspire an aesthetic innovation in background or model textures for the next tripped-out indie-game opus. (Screens Saturday, Sept. 10^th @ Jackman Hall @ 9:15pm)

 

4. Twixt

When Francis Ford Coppola first premiered the trailer for his latest film, a shot in 3D gothic-horror romance about a struggling horror-writer stumbling upon a ghostly mystery in small-town America, at the San Diego Comic-Con this past July he also proposed a radically new form of motion-picture exhibition. Along with a conventional version of the film, Coppola announced that he plans to tour an interactive presentation of the film around the country where he will be editing and mixing the film live based on audience reactions, complete with a live orchestra. While the TIFF screening won’t be demonstrating this interactive component, it is sure to come up during the Q&A and I personally can’t wait to hear more about the process behind this concept. (Screens Sept. 11^th @ Princess of Wales @ 2:00pm, Sept. 12^th @ Scotiabank Theatre 13 @ 2:00pm & Sept. 18^th @ TIFF Bell Lightbox @ 10:00am)

 

5. The Raid

Kung Fu flicks have always been a great muse for game designers.  The climactic ascent up three levels, each with a skilled combatant, in Bruce Lee’s Game of Death is often considered as the origin of the video game “boss fight”.  Gareth Evan’s The Raid (opening this year’s Midnight Madness program) employs a similar structuring conceit, depicting a squad of policemen moving through the floors of a crime-infested apartment complex, with each room pitting a deadlier opponent against the dwindling ensemble of heroes. Not to be glib, but there is a great video game premise in that! (Screens Sept. 8^th @ Ryerson @ 11:59pm and Sept. 10^th @ AMC2 @ 12:15pm)

Photos Courtesy of:

• © National Film Board of Canada, 2011
• ©  Swiss Dots, 2011
• ©  T. Marie, 2011
• ©  American Zoetrope, 2011
• ©  Alliance Pictures, 2011