Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces the nominees for its animated and live-action short-film prizes. And every year, people scratch their heads and say, “Well, those sound like interesting titles, but I’ve never heard of any of them. Oh, wait, was that last one from Pixar?”

“Ben Gazzara is just an absolute legend, and such a great actor, and such a good man.”

What’s that? The 11 movies opening on Toronto’s screens today – one of them being the spectacular Chronicle – aren’t enough for you? You demand more?

Actors become filmmakers because they have something they want to say. In the case of the Turkish star Yilmaz Güney, becoming a director was the only way he could be heard.