An impressive array of talented filmmaking, this year’s list of award recipients, indicates an interest in strong dramatic works whose combined stories and footage showcase a changing world.

Respectful of the CIFF’s award picks, I feel it indicates a willingness to pay tribute to those filmmakers truly interested in educating their audiences. While there may be some comedic elements involved in their collective works, the overall message is one of strength, courage, and a desire to evolve to a higher plateau.

How such trends in films transcend into box office numbers, I am not quite sure. Perhaps mainstream movie-going audiences are evolved enough to appreciate the insights these premium films provide into unfamiliar territories and the questions they raise with regard to our present-day societal views.

To inject a bit of levity, maybe CIFF’s 2008 line-up will provide some diverting entertainment by carrying a roster of films that runs the course of slapstick comedies, unrequited love stories, and sci-fi mega flicks. A good laugh couldn't hurt.