Creative Scotland at Toronto International Film Festival

Creative Scotland has provided support to established and emerging screen talent at the recent Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Peter Mullan’s hotly-anticipated, Creative Scotland-supported feature film Neds received its world premiere. Warmly received by audiences at its sold out screenings, this evocative story of a young man’s journey from prize-winning schoolboy to knife-carrying teenager was described by the Hollywood Reporter as ‘a bold, persuasive period portrait of a juvenile delinquent in the making.’

Marking its North American premiere, Sylvain Chomet’s animation The Illusionist – made in Edinburgh over three years and first shown at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF)  – has been tipped as an Oscar contender by the New York Post, which described it as: ‘One of the most delightful films on view on the Toronto International Film Festival’.

As well as showcasing the best of new North American and international features, documentaries and short films, TIFF is an important industry forum and film market that plays host to a number of financing and talent development programmes. As such is presents an excellent opportunity to promote Scotland’s film industry – which has a turnover of £125 million per annum.

‘Features Scotland’ an initiative jointly financed by the Scottish Government’s EXPO Fund and Creative Scotland, and managed by EIFF, supported six emerging Scottish producers to attend the festival to be introduced to the international film industry, participate in a number of workshops, attend networking events, and present their projects in development to a wide range of potential financiers.

Scottish producer Rosie Crerar and filmmaker Ruth Paxton took part in the highly–competitive and internationally regarded Talent Lab, which gives exclusive access to master classes with renowned directors and producers.
Creative Scotland also took the opportunity to view the outstanding new location and facilities at the Bell TIFF Lightbox – the festival’s new home.

As one of the most significant industry focussed festivals on the international circuit, Toronto International Film Festival aims to lead the world in cultural and creative discovery through the moving image and draws industry representatives as well as film fans from around the world.