I REMEMBER
"I Remember," our 15th anniversary short subject, has a special significance for me because it is by Grace Wang of Toronto, one of the very first few Far-Flung Correspondents. When she first contributed to the FFCs, Grace was employed in the legal field. She since began working for the Toronto International Film Festival, and served as assistant to its director, Cameron Bailey, on his film-finding trip to China and Hong Kong. Since then she has been a TIFF programming associate, and now here is her premiere work as a director, which was selected for rotation in the Berlin International Directors Lounge. Its dreamy and haunting realism embodies the poetic feeling of many of her FCC piece. In a special tribute to the 15th anniversary Ebertfest, Grace will gather with me, Chaz, Nate, Mary Susan, the attending FFCs and our VIP guests on stage as they join the audience in singing "Those Were the Days." Which they surely have been. A special guest will be her friend and mine, Joan Cohl of Toronto, whose husband Dusty co-founded TIFF—which in many ways was an inspiration for Ebertfest. Dusty and Joan have attended from our first year, and Joan continues after Dusty's passing. Grace will appear onstage after her film. Then please remain attentive for a very brief film clip I have selected. Then will come the song. Allow it to finish. To the very end. Roger.
