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History was made last Thursday night, Passchendaele (the TIFF 08 opening film) ushered in a new frontier for Canadian film. Passchendaele is a gut wrenching love story thrust against the backdrop of a little known battle in the province of Alberta. Passchendaele is a beautiful story about a rough patch in Canadian history, that artfully awakens the giant story within. Passchendaele is provocative, sexy and slightly understated. This movie challenges old notions of who we think we are as Canadians. Peace keepers? The title of this gritty and sometimes intense Canadian history lesson has Passchen all over it. If you take the anatomy of this film a part you'll see bits and pieces of metaphor scattered all over the place.
It's obvious Paul Gross put his seasoned mind, heart, soul, and boyish charm into this project. During his introduction at the gala screening inside the historic Elgin Theatre, Paul asserted that Canada's not known for brash displays of patriotism. Passchendaele is a personal journey that lead Paul Gross to dig deep in his pockets and the trenches of Canadian film funding to bring his grand fathers story to the screen. Making a movie in Canada is war. Victory always seems elusive until you find your very own Passchendaele.
This is not just a story about war but also a story about determination to see a dream come true. If you choose to see Passchendaele, you're on your way to a new chapter in Canadian history.
Enjoy your trip.
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