The press conference announcing this year?s line-up of Canadian movies at the festival was an amazing event ? Aragorn, I mean Viggo ? was there to kick off one of the most exciting years in Canadian cinema in quite some time.  This is a year where some of Canada?s greatest filmmakers have made new movies, from David Cronenberg?s Eastern Promises, Denys Arcand?s L?Âge des Ténèbres, Francois Girard?s Silk, Jeremy Podeswa?s Fugitive Pieces, Bruce McDonald?s The Tracy Fragments, Bernard Émond?s Contre Tout Esperance to Clement Virgo?s Poor Boy?s Game, Bruce Sweeney?s American Venus, Peter Raymont?s A Promise to the Dead and Carl Bessai?s Normal.  Alongside these established names are the next generation of Canadian filmmakers including Stéphane LaFleur (Continental, Un Film Sans Fusil), Rafäel Ouellet (Le Cèdre Penché), Chazz Thorne (Just Buried), Ernie Barbarash (They Wait), Robert Cuffley (Walk All Over Me), Ed Gass-Donnelly (This Beautiful City) and Martin Gero, who?s first film, the accurately titled Young People F*cking, will open Canada First at this year?s festival.  Martin made a great speech at the press conference, and was introduced to the excitement of the Toronto International Film Festival.

?The press conference was all kind of a blur.  Being rushed back stage before we started...being told very politely not to freak out ?cause I was about to meet David Cronenberg, Viggo Mortensen and Robert Lantos.  I was a little nervous and don?t really remember what I said...but I?m told I didn?t make a complete ass of myself and was understandable for almost all of it...I?m gonna chalk that up to a win.

After the conference we tried to do as much press as we could, but many people pointed out I?m no Viggo Mortensen...which I guess is true.  Although now having met him face to face...I think I maybe could take him in real life...if he wasn?t expecting it...and I had a bat or something...that?s a whole other conversation though.? ? Martin Gero, director Young People F*cking

I?m not sure ? I?ve seen Eastern Promises and Viggo kicks much butt, and although Martin has serious kung-fu, I?m not sure he can take down Tom Stall ? I mean Viggo.

Perhaps it?s a topic we can re-visit on a red carpet later this year.  And if it does happen ? you?ll read all about it on this blog.  See you in September.