While the star powered Galas of the Toronto Film Festival often take centre stage during TIFF week – the documentary lineup in recent years has been transmitting its own star wattage and the 2009 nonfiction film selections look to build on that with expected guests Jack White, Chris Rock, and director Chris Smith.

In further recognition of the standout docs that play TIFF each year the Cadillac People’s Choice Award – awarded the last few years to the best feature, is expanding this year to include a Documentary and Midnight Madness awards category.

Cadillac People’s Choice Award – Documentary will be chosen by audiences through a voting process that takes place at screenings throughout the Festival. The awards will be presented on September 19th.

In all, there are 17 selections in TIFF’s documentary line-up for the 34rd edition of the festival.

Jack White of the White Stripes will be making his second straight TIFF appearance in support of a documentary feature. Jack came to Toronto last year with fellow guitar gods The Edge and Jimmy Page for the buzzed about doc, It Might Get Loud. This year, White will support director Emmett Malloy’s The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights which follows the band as they make concert stops in remote areas across Canada.

Director Chris Smith “explores his apocalyptic vision of the future.” with Collapse. This marks Smith’s return to TIFF a decade after his 1999 documentary-comedy, American Movie set the indie world on fire after a fierce festival bidding war for distribution rights erupted.

And what better timing for a documentary touching on the television and newspaper companies of Italy’s prime minister Silvio Berlosconi – with the PM having his share of news attention these days. Erik Gandini’s Videocracy is a penetrating look at the Berlosconi media empire.

“This year’s documentaries have a sense of immediacy like never before. Current events are getting a fresh perspective in films about the post-crash economy, Iran, Berlusconi, surrogate mothers, U.S. Army veterans and more. These films are sure to generate a lot of debate.”
- Thom Powers, TIFF documentary programmer

Video: Documentary icon Michael Moore talks about premiering at TIFF six times

Who better to talk about what first-time documentary directors can expect when premiering at TIFF – but Michael Moore. HoundsTV was on the red carpet when Moore was previewing SICKO to enthusiastic audiences back in 2006. We wanted to know from Moore how the documentary genre has changed since he first premiered in Toronto. After all, it was TIFF ‘89 when Moore first showed the world Roger & Me and its fair to say the art and style of documentaries would never quite be the same.

Anvil was presented the honour on stage at CMW by Bif Naked. Bif spent a few minutes talking about the upcoming buzzed about documentary on the band set to premiere in theatres during April. “The Story of Anvil”, said Bif, “has made David Byrne, Michael Moore and Brad Pitt fans of the band.”

The documentary has been getting some great reviews:

The Los Angeles Times called the film an “alternatively moving and hilarious love story,” a Wall Street Journal blogger said it was the only movie screened at Sundance in 2008 that brought him to tears, and British newspaper the Guardian described the film as “charming, touching and very funny.” – CANADIAN PRESS

The Story of Anvil opens up in select city theatres during April, 2009.

REPORTING FOR MEDIA OR BLOGGING? There is a FREE ANVIL ROCKS CMW photo set for sharing here