Sony Pictures Classics has a schedule crowded with such recent acquisitions as "Doctor Parnassus" and top Cannes prize winners "The White Ribbon" and "A Prophet," yet the company is actively scouring Toronto for other films. "The economic downturn has affected us all. We're all in survival mode ... But the fact is, when you look at the Toronto film festival, its value is the same as it always was, which is to launch films effectively, to get the attention of critics and academy members at the dawn of the so-called awards season, and also for companies like us to look for new films to buy." For directors whose films already have a distributor, such as Clooney's producing partner Heslov, the festival is a place to find out if their hard work might pay off with fans. Full Article at Fandango.com | Movie News