Ed Gass-Donnelly, in his recent film This Beautiful City, features Toronto at its grittiest. And for that, I'm proud.

We're all used to Toronto playing the stand-in for New York or Boston in big-budget films. Seeing our city play herself on screen is a rare enough treat, but in Gass-Donnelly's movie, she not only stars, but shines. For those of you that didn't get the chance to see Toronto's starring role at TIFF last year, This Beautiful City opens tomorrow at The Royal for a limited engagement.

Set in and around Ossington and West Queen West, This Beautiful City tells several stories where the characters struggle in their interactions with each other and their city. One of the highlights of my year in Toronto film, the film has beauty hidden in its desolation.

While Toronto is clearly the star of the film, the cast on the whole puts in a stellar performance. Kristin Booth, graduate of Ryerson's BFA Acting Program, is particularly remarkable, approaching her character with uncanny desperation.

For more insight on Ed Gass-Donnelly's thoughts on shooting in Toronto and having the city feature so prominently in the film, check out Andrea's interview with the director on moviesTO last fall.

This Beautiful City opens at The Royal on May 23, 2008, followed by additional dates across Canada. You can find more information about the film at the Seville Pictures website.

(Photo: Still from Ed Gass-Donnelly's This Beautiful City. Courtesy Seville Pictures.)