this column highlights festival titles that are attracting the interest of buyers and distributors.

*Chinese Box

The North American premiere of the latest effort from director Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club, Eat A Bowl of Tea) features Jeremy Irons, Gong Li and Maggie Cheung. The story, shot in Hong Kong on New Year’s Eve, 1996, plays with three fictional characters – a British journalist, a karaoke bar owner and a hustler – in a real and historically significant setting. A fourth character (Michael Hiu) weaves his way through the film with his video-diary of the city in its final days under British rule.

Le Studio Canal+ is handling the film worldwide.

Public screenings:

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 9:30 p.m.

Roy Thomson Hall

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 9 a.m.

Varsity 2

*Drive, She Said

Mina Shum is a darling of the Toronto International Film Festival. Her first feature, Double Happiness, made a sizable splash when it premiered at the 1995 tiff and secured a lucrative u.s. distribution deal with FineLine.

This is her second feature, a much-anticipated post-heist road movie that follows the emotional roller-coaster ride of bank teller Nadine (Moira Kelly) as her heart is pulled in two directions: by her old boyfriend, Jonathan (Sebastian Spence), who proves a valiant savior, and by her kidnapper, Tass (Josh Hamilton).

One industry insider said ‘everyone’ was at the Monday night premiere screening.

Malofilm holds domestic rights and producer Steve Hegyes (see Tracking, p, 2) is shopping the film at the festival for international distribution.

Press and industry screening:

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 9:45 p.m.

Backstage 2

Public screening:

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1:30 p.m.

Cumberland 3

*Life During Wartime

The final tiff screening of this film takes place today and, much to the surprise of industry insiders, it is creating a bit of a buzz for buyers. Writer/director Evan Dunsky, former ad for Roger Corman, makes his feature film debut with a hot ensemble cast that includes Stanley Tucci, David Arquette and Kate Capshaw in a dark comedy about a security systems salesman, a sleazy boss, a widow and, ultimately, the slippery slope of crime.

Press and industry screening:

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1 p.m.

Uptown 2

Public screenings:

Friday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 6, 10:30 a.m.

Uptown 2

*Two Girls and a Guy

Eight years – since the 1989 hit The Big Bang – have passed and now director James Toback returns to tiff, and to feature films, with a romantic comedy. Robert Downey Jr. stars as a two-timing actor whose misogynistic habits are discovered by the two key women in his life (played by Heather Graham of Swingers and Natasha Gregson Wagner of First Love, Last Rites, also at the festival.)

Word is that buyers are all aflutter about the film.

Fox Searchlight holds worldwide rights.

Public screenings:

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 9:45 p.m.

Uptown 1

Thursday, Sept. 11, 11 a.m.

Uptown 1