Every year, there's some controversy that enflames/embarrasses the Toronto Film
Festival—no one remembers Casuistry:
The Art Of Killing A Cat, but that was a real scene—and this year's
firestarter is D.O.A.P. (or Death Of A President), a mock-documentary
with a programme entry that begins thusly: "An unknown gunman assassinates
George W. Bush." Oh, mercy. For people of a certain political persuasion,
it's like something from the end of The Wizard Of Oz.
Now, the festival has released an official statement
that offers its support of the art of cinema in general while shielding itself
with disclaimers about this specific instance. As always, this controversy has
been generated by a movie no one has actually seen yet, though press members will
no doubt be climbing over each other for the privilege.