Top Ten?

I just got a note from Bevan informing me that Retired is in consideration for Canada's Top Ten Shorts of 2007.

From the Toronto International Film Festival Group website:

Canada’s Top Ten was created in 2001 to recognize and honour excellence in Canadian cinema. Each year, an independent 10-member national panel of filmmakers, programmers, journalists and industry professionals vote on the best Canadian films of the year, which can include features, shorts, documentaries, animation, and experimental films. Each film selected as part of Canada’s Top Ten must have either premiered at a Canadian film festival or had a commercial theatrical release in Canada during the year.

Well, that all sounds rather lovely. And it behooves me to say that even being considered is an honour. But to be quite honest, I find it a bit perplexing because Retired wasn't accepted to screen at TIFF.

So what are our chances? It's hard to say. Who knows what moves the hearts and minds of independent panels of independent filmmakers, programmers, journalists and industry professionals these days. At the best of times this stuff feels like a bit of a crapshoot. Sometimes you get accepted, sometimes you don't. Most often you don't. At least that's been the case with Retired. When I saw the first cut of the film I thought it had all the makings of a festival darling... it was dark, quirky and quite beautiful, with a disturbing climax followed by a hanging bittersweet ending. It's all there. And yet... and yet. Almost resoundingly rejected by festival panels across the country. Well, okay, not rejected. Just not accepted.

So, having said all of that, this "consideration" is a welcome thing. Although I'm still unsure whether it restores my faith in the jury process or dashes it completely to bits.