TORONTO '06 DAILY DISPATCH: Politics As Usual? IFC Gets Election Doc, Fest Buzzes About D.O.A.P., and Michael Moore

The IFC pact is an all-media deal that was negotiated by the company’s president Jonathan Sehring, and IFC’s Elizabeth Nastro and Ryan Werner with filmmaker Stern, Doug Hansen and Cinetic‘s John Sloss for Endgame Entertainment.

Considering A President’s Death

The hypothetical assassination of U.S. president George W. Bush, winner of the heated 2004 presidential election, has drawn a lot interest to Gabriel Range‘s “D.O.A.P.” (Death Of A President”), a Toronto fest feature that TIFF co-director Noah Cowan calls “the most dangerous and breathtakingly original film” he has seen this year. The movie is structured as an investigative doc made two years after an unknown gunman kills Bush.

The film has drawn considerable media attention, stirring debates on U.S. news channels, and last week, Toronto fest organizers were compelled to issue a statement backing their decision to include it in the festival. Planners noted that the movie is screening in the Visions program, which “spotlights films which challenge our notions of mainstream cinema and explore new cinematic territory.” Continuing in the statement, the festival said, “The Toronto International Film Festival is committed to the free expression of ideas and to engaging audiences in thoughtful discussion about issues of the day. ‘D.O.A.P.’ contributes meaningfully to the public discourse surrounding current social issues, demonstrates highly original storytelling techniques and utilizes innovative digital effects.”

Continuing, the festival noted that the perspectives and/or opinions expressed in its films do not necessarily reflect those of the Toronto International Film Festival Group. And it added, “The film is not exploitative in any way and treats what would certainly be a great tragedy respectfully and un-cynically. In the tradition of great cautionary tales, a terrible and horrifying event unveils certain aspects of society’s current fears and future trends.”

Moore The Maverick

Among the hot tickets on Friday night will be the Maverick session with filmmaker Michael Moore. Festival organizers indicate that Moore will talk about his work since “Fahrenheit 9/11,” and will screen a short teaser from his upcoming “Sicko,” a look at the U.S. health care system, as well as segments from the work-in-progress “The Great ‘04 Slacker Uprising,” a secret project about the ‘04 election that includes a look at, in the words of the festival, “the birth of a new political generation.”