The pre-Oscar press circuit, usually a defining feature of the Toronto Film Festival, felt uncharacteristically subdued as it opened last week. This year, the major studios kept their cards close to their chests as they witheld the promotional stampede for their awards hopefuls. Potential contenders such as Baz Luhrmann's Australia and Oliver Stone 's W were among those kept at bay.

However, the opening days of the festival have seen some major highlights. Burn After Reading with Brad Pitt, the Coen Brothers ' follow-up to the seminal No Country For Old Men, Gus Van Sant 's Milk starring Sean Penn as the eponymous gay San Francisco politician and Darren Aronofksy's The Wrestler, featuring an inspired turn from Mickey Rourke and a recent winner of the Venice film festival's Golden Lion award for 'Best Film', have all been feverishly greeted.

The festival will close on September 13, with the North American premiere of Stone of Destiny, written and directed by Charles Martin Smith of Lucky You fame, the true story of four Glasgow university students who try to restore the 300-pound Stone of Destiny to its rightful Scotish home.

Story: David Katz