“Toronto Stories” Playing This Week at the Royal

There’s been a lot of talk about the film Toronto Stories, which opened for a one-week run on College West’s Royal Theatre on Friday. After years of seeing Accordion City play the part of New York, Chicago and other cities in so many films, it’s nice to see it finally play itself. Here’s a quick summary of the movie:

An engaging tale in the tradition of New York Stories, Jim Jarmusch’s Night on Earth, and Paris, Je t’Aime, Toronto Stories is a feature film in four chapters bound together by one interwoven narrative and set in Toronto. The four-part screenplay is written and directed by Aaron Woodley (Rhinoceros Eyes, Tennessee), Sook-Yin Lee (Shortbus, Unlocked), Sudz Sutherland (Doomstown, Love, Sex and Eating the Bones), and David Weaver (Siblings, Century Hotel).

Opening on the chaos and confusion of Pearson International Airport’s arrivals lounge, a young immigrant boy arrives in Toronto, alone and not speaking a word of English. Before the authorities have a chance to figure out where he’s from, he disappears and an amber alert is issued that reverberates through the city. Meanwhile, the boy finds his way into the centre of town, where he bears accidental witness to a covert mission of two kids to find the infamous Cabbagetown Monster, a budding romance, and an escaped ex-con reconnecting with an old friend – all the while managing to remain undiscovered despite the widespread search for him. Finally, a once established man fallen from grace and now inhabiting the streets and alleys around Union Station spots the lost boy, but when he approaches the authorities his mental illness causes the credibility of his discovery to be questioned.

If you’re looking for a break from gift shopping and the hubbub of this time of year, go check out this movie and support the local film industry, the arts scene and good ol’ Accordion City!

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