September 12, 2006 Source: :
http://www.ryerson.ca/news/news/General_Public/20060912_tiff.html Ryerson alumni star at TIFF Four Ryerson alumni are being featured at the 31st annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The work of filmmakers Peter Mettler, Adam Garnet Jones, Mazdak Taebi and photographer Edward Burtynsky will be presented at the Festival, which runs until September 16. Mettler’s experimental films are the focus of this year’s Canadian Retrospective program. TIFF organizers are showcasing nine of his films and hosting four events, including a book launch for Of This Place and Elsewhere: The Films and Photography of Peter Mettler. "I’m very happy that the Festival is acknowledging these approaches to filmmaking," said Mettler, who credits Ryerson Professor Bruce Elder with "opening up my perspective on what film could be." "Mettler is an incomparable talent in Canadian cinema," said Piers Handling, director and CEO of the TIFF Group. "The innovation and audacity of his work, his dedication to the cinematic art form, and his ability to conjure up images that remain permanently etched in one’s mind, secures his place as one of this country’s most distinguished contemporary filmmakers." Mettler’s most recent collaboration can be seen in Manufactured Landscapes, which features the photography of fellow alumnus Burtynsky. Directed by Jennifer Baichwal and shot by Mettler, the film follows Burtynsky through China as he documents the country’s industrial revolution. Recent graduate Adam Garnet Jones has been making films since he was 14. His latest effort, Cloudbreaker, is part of the Short Cuts Canada program. The film, which follows a 10 year old boy’s transformative journey, is based on Jones’ experiences growing up in Edmonton. Finally, Taebi is making his feature film debut at TIFF with Mercy, a "satirical story about detachment and the aftermath of war." An independent filmmaker in the truest sense, Taebi financed Mercy entirely by himself. He saved $40,000 from many years of hard work in the film industry after graduating from Ryerson’s Media Arts program in 1993. "I had the best time of my life at Ryerson," said Taebi, an Iranian immigrant. "It gave me the opportunity to test the waters in different aspects of filmmaking." Despite the difficulties of making a film - independent, or otherwise - Taebi encourages aspiring directors to stick to their vision and not be discouraged by the industry. "It’s extremely hard to make a film. But if someone has the vision and drive, they will make it."
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