While it might not have the cachet of Cannes or the (admittedly ever-eroding) indie cred of Sundance, the Toronto International Film Festival is one of the most important film fests in the world.
The lights came up after the gala screening of The Descendants at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and Alexander Payne and his star, George Clooney, trotted onto the stage – greeted by an especially rapturous standing ovation.