2010 Toronto Student Film Festival Judges

TSFF is proud and excited to announce the Judges for the 2010Festival Showcase.

Deepa Mehta

Sarah Polley

Niv Fichman

Deepa Mehta

With her epic trilogy of films named afterthe elemental forces of Fire, Earth , and Water , Indian-Canadiandirector Deepa Mehta (born 1950) vaulted to the first rank of artists concernedwith the status of women, as traditional roles collided with the forces of thecontemporary world.

Exploring the experiences of women in her native India has placedMehta in the midst of intense controversy. She has been burned in effigy, seen thestars of her films threatened with violence, and struggled to see her filmscompleted and shown. Nevertheless, she has persisted in the face of dauntingobstacles. "I see myself as a very emotional filmmaker rather than aradical," Mehta told Diane Taylor of London's Guardian newspaper(referring to

Fire ). "I made [ Fire ] because I want to understandmyself." Early in her career she told Pamela Cuthbert of Take One ,"The point is: if you want to make films, you'll find ways of makingthem." Her career has borne out that confident assertion.

http://www.notablebiographies.com/supp/Supplement-Ka-M/Mehta-Deepa.html

Sarah Polley

A professional actress since the age of four, Sarah Polley’s diversecareer took her from child star in her native Canada, to an acclaimed adultperformer whose fiercely independent streak applied to both her demeanor andher choice of films. Along the way, she impressed audiences in features rangingfrom Atom Egoyan’s heart-rending drama “The Sweet Hereafter” (1997), to ZachSnyder’s caffeinated revamp of “Dawn of the Dead” (2005) – even finding time tomake her directorial debut in 2006 with “Away From Her,” which earned ravereviews from critics around the globe.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800013030/bio

Niv Fichman

Niv Fichman is a founding partner of Rhombus Media, renowned as one ofthe world’s most respected producers of high quality feature films, televisionseries and films on the performing arts.

He has produced most of Rhombus’ output, which now stands at aroundtwo hundred films over the past thirty years. He is responsible for severalhighly renowned feature films, the most recent being the Canadian World War Iepic PASSCHENDAELE, written, directed and starring Paul Gross, as wellas a feature film adaptation of Nobel Laurieate José Saramago’s book BLINDNESS,written by Don McKellar, directed by the Academy Award nominated FernandoMeirelles and starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover and GaelGarcia Bernal. Fichman has previously produced such directors as FrancoisGirard, Olivier Assayas, Guy Maddin, Don McKellar, Peter Mettler, DavidWellington, Peter Wellington, Kevin McMahon, Marc Evans, as well as hispartners at Rhombus, Larry Weinstein and Barbara Willis Sweete.

Some of Fichman’s best known productions include SILK, THE REDVIOLIN, THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD, SEPTEMBER SONGS, and LAST NIGHT.

Away from Rhombus, Niv recently ended an eight-year stint on the Boardof the Toronto International Film Festival. He has also received a Doctor ofLetters degree (honoris causa) from York University in June, 1998. Most recently,Niv Fichman was named the Canadian Producer of the Year for 2007 by the CFTPA.

http://www.wildsound-filmmaking-feedback-events.com/niv_fichman.html