Fests test if pix click

Filmmakers go back to editing room after taking auds' pulse

By DANA HARRIS

Film fests have traditionally been publicity launching pads and kickoff points for Oscar campaigns, but here at Toronto a new purpose is emerging: the fest as test screening.

Take "Haven." Pic stars Orlando Bloom and reps the feature writing-directing debut of Frank Flowers, but it failed to impress auds at its Toronto Film Festival world premiere Sept. 11.

Producer Bob Yari says, therefore, the pic probably will go back to the drawing board.

"We may do some more work on the film, maybe with a domestic partner, and reintroduce it."

Still, the Toronto outing was instructive for Yari and his team. The same could be said for a number of other indie producer-distribbers.

Niels Muller's "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" made its North American bow in Toronto with a cut that was 10 minutes shorter than the one that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May; Jonathan Nossiter's wine doc "Mondovino" lost a full 35 minutes en route from the Croisette.

"The Libertine," which stars Johnny Depp and is arguably the most anticipated title of Toronto 2004, made its world premiere as a work-in-progress.

"Of course, there are anxieties," says "Libertine" producer Russ Smith. "But in our mind, we would have finished it at the end of the month, and when else would we have a chance to see it with 1,000 people?"

Traditionally, major festivals have been known as a global staging ground where films get just one chance to make a first impression. With the undivided attention of the world media, a title begins its long march to victory or ignominy.

And first impressions can make news worldwide.

Vincent Gallo's "Brown Bunny," for example, was selected to premiere at Cannes in 2003. Although Gallo felt the pic wasn't ready to be seen, his Japanese investors pressured him into accepting the Cannes bow. The controversial pic famously drew jeers and catcalls.

After several months of further editing, a half-hour shorter version received the grand prize at the Viennale fest, and went on to win a thumbs-up from Roger Ebert, one of those who had booed the loudest in Cannes.

Others in the indie world also have seen the benefit of audience reaction.

"We saw 'Richard Nixon" and 'Mondovino' in Cannes and bought both of them on the basis of their longer versions," says ThinkFilm CEO Jeff Sackman. "If the filmmakers had said 'no' to further edits, we would have been stuck."

Filmmakers Muller and Nossiter apparently listened to constructive criticism from ThinkFilm as well as from film critics.

However, Sackman says the process was collaborative rather than dictatorial, a complaint that has long dogged Miramax Films.

"This isn't Harvey Scissorhands stuff," Sackman says. "We don't get our jollies by doing this, but it doesn't serve anyone's purpose to say, 'No, I won't change anything.' We are a conduit for the filmgoers."

While festivals are largely devoted to the care and feeding of iconoclastic filmmakers, they're seeing an uptick in the willingness of auteurs to consider the possibility that they didn't get it right the first time.

"Festivals have become so important for the launch of the film that they'll do anything to rush to complete," says Toronto co-director Noah Cowan.

"It's still not great to display your film before the entire international audience and not be ready. In the case of some films, you have strong-willed directors who weren't listening, and when the appraisals came through it became clear that their friends were right. In those cases, it's about going back and making a good film even better, which is actually pretty rare."

Cowan says Toronto is always offered "one or two" works in progress each year, but the fest doesn't like to include more than one in its lineup.

This year, it's "The Libertine"; other recent selections were Curtis Hanson's "8 Mile" and Norman Jewison's "The Statement."

"They're always major new films that matter," Cowan says. "I'm sure there are a few other films here that will be edited further, but 95% to 98% of them are absolutely done."

Not everyone in the auteur community thinks allowing an unfinished work to be picked apart at a festival is worth the risk.

At the last minute, Merchant/Ivory Prods. pulled "Heights" from the just-wrapped Deauville Film Festival.

While fest organizers had been sufficiently impressed with the film to offer it a competition slot, director Chris Terrio says he still had changes to make to the romantic drama, which will be released through Sony Pictures Classics.

"You have only one shot," opines Newmarket Films topper Bob Berney. "And then to go back and say, 'It wasn't ready,' it's really risky."