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Focuses on the 29th Toronto International Film Festival. Controversy surrounding the Montreal documentary called "Casuistry: The Art of Killing a Cat"; Effort of animal-rights activists to have the film removed; Defense of the film by festival co-director, Noah Cowan; Tradition of the festival having famous Canadian directors; Details of Carole Laure's film, "CQ2 (Seek You Too)"; Short films such as Guy Maddin's "The Heart of the World" and "Sissy Boy Slap Party"; Discussion of "Sombra Dolorosa".

Organizers of the Toronto International Film Festival have adopted a sink-or-swim programming policy on homegrown product that will see established films from Canadian directors pitched alongside their international colleagues in various sidebars this year. Toronto International Film Festival co-director Noah Cowan said that if Canada is serious about building and sustaining a thriving film industry that international distributors will stake their money on, established Canadian moviemakers need to break out of their niche and compete head-on in Toronto with the world's higher-profile programs.

Noah Cowan was named co-director of the Toronto International Film Festival with an eye toward eventually replacing the current festival director, Piers Handling. Cowan, a film programmer at the Toronto, Ontario festival for 15 years before leaving in 2001 to run Cowboy Pictures and Code Red Films in New York, will take up his new duties on January 1, 2004. Handling said Cowan's return to Toronto assures continuity for North America's largest film festival. Handling said that with the Toronto festival now partnering with Hollywood director Ivan Reitman to build a year-round home, he had to decide between continuing to program the festival or running the umbrella Toronto International Film Festival Group and its year-round activities as CEO.

Reports on the practice of civility during the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival under the new leadership of Noah Cowan in Toronto, Ontario. Appearance of actress Annette Bening with husband Warren Beatty on the opening night; Attendance of Sandra Bullock at the premiere of "Crash"; Accounts on the event. I Heart Huckabees

Reports on the appointment of Noah Cowan as chief executive officer of the Toronto Film Festival replacing Piers Handling in Toronto, Ontario. Schedule for the appointment to take effect; Job responsibilities; Career background.