The 2008 edition of Short Cuts Canada presents the most diverse and exciting line up of stellar shorts from emerging to established Canadian filmmakers. This year's presentation of 38 films represents all forms of film making from all regions of Canada, including strong dramatic work from Newfoundland, innovative animation from Winnipeg, and a verite documentary focused on two isolated men in the Yukon.

We are excited to have 14 returning filmmakers, who have screened both shorts and features at TIFF in years past.  By my math that means we'll be giving audiences a first look 24 films, whose filmmakers are making their first appearance at TIFF. In addition to all of the world premieres of shorts that will take place at TIFF, we are excited to be bringing fantastic Canadian short films to Canadian audiences that have been drawing rave reviews overseas. Most notably, Denis Villeneuve's Next Floor, which won the short film prize at the International Critics week at Cannes.  Philip Barker, who has worked extensively as Atom Egoyan's production designer, will be showing his own work Night Vision following its premiere at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival in France.

Innovation in animation has been a hallmark of Canadian cinema, and this year is no different with films like Hungu and Rosa Rosa, from the National Film Board of Canada. We'll also be premiering the incredibly passionate and personal Passages by Marie-Josee Saint-Pierre (the director of Mclaren's Negatives).

Check back often to our blog for interviews with filmmakers, reviews of the films, and program highlights leading up to the festival. Also, don't forget that we'll be hosting a selection of our Short Cuts Canada films right here at the TIFF08 site during the festival. It's a great chance to get a sneak peak at a few of the films before coming out to see them on the big screen.