In the course of its 29-year history, the Toronto International Film Festival has grown a reputation as one of the world's premiere cinematic showcases.

Besides serving as a launching pad for many of the big movies expected to go on to Oscar glory, TIFF's lineup of more than 300 movies ranks it, some say, second only to Cannes as a key international market for film sales.

As its parties and premieres have grown into celebrity-spotters' nirvana, however, the festival has maintained a mandate to promote the more humble stars of Canada's homegrown movie industry.

In years past, that meant lumping all the Canadian films into the Perspectives Canada Series. Often criticized as a Canadian movie ghetto within the larger festival, that series has been scrapped this year.

In its place, the festival has created the Canada First! programme, dedicated to showcasing local filmmakers who are making their TIFF debut.

Seven years since he made his first movie, the low-budget slice of life My Dog Vincent, Michael McGowan's second feature, Saint Ralph, has been slated as the programme's premiere screening.

The 38-year-old Torontonian says he's honoured to have such a singular spot in the festival schedule, and considers it a vote of confidence in the power of his work.

"There's so many films at the festival -- for them to announce this program and say, 'Hey, you're going to lead off this series' -- it's been great."

McGowan's film is the inspirational tale of a 14-year-old boy with ambition beyond his years.

Set in Hamilton, Ontario, the film stars Campbell Scott, Gordon Pinsent, Jennifer Tilly and young Adam Butcher as the precocious ninth grader who fears life as an orphan if his mother doesn't emerge from a coma.

One day, young Ralph takes one of his Catholic school lessons to heart. If he can achieve something miraculous, like, say, winning the 1954 Boston marathon, he is convinced his mom will come back to him.

McGowan, who wrote and directed the $6 million movie, says he's proud of his work, not to mention the moniker 'auteur' with which he's frequently ascribed. Even though it fits, he insists such status isn't as high-faluting as it sounds.

"I'm the laziest writer in the world," he told CTV.ca, laughing.

Not because he doesn't like to work -- after all, he's already created the successful kids' TV series Henry's World, and even written a novel for young people -- but because he's simply followed some old advice: write what you know.

Faith as a theme

A one-time winner of the Detroit marathon, and former Catholic School student, McGowan says he didn't have to look far for insights to the key themes of his film.

"I wanted to do a running movie and combine it with faith," he says, explaining that the film is focused as much on what faith can't achieve as what it can.

Besides, he adds, "daring to dream big is a really nice theme to work with."

Now that his movie's set for its world premiere, McGowan says he's got some big dreams of his own.

When asked what his hopes are for the film's future, McGowan is quick to respond.

"Complete world domination, " he jokes, before offering a quick clarification.

"I've got big hopes," he explains. "I hope an American distributor will pick it up, it'll be sold around the world and go on to become a commercial and critical success."

Coproduced by Alliance Atlantis and Toronto's Amaze Film + Television, Saint Ralph will appear in cinemas across Canada next spring. But until McGowan manages to secure a foreign sale, he can't be guaranteed the positive murmurs his film has generated so far will ever grow into worldwide cheers.

That means the pressure is on for the film to capture hearts at TIFF.

"I'm nervous," McGowan admits.

"I'm not just sitting back saying, 'Hey, this is going to be a slam dunk.' I mean, I'm also fairly nervous about the thought of showing this to 1,200 people (at its gala debut) on Saturday."

But when pressed, the Toronto native says there's little he can do at this point.

Hopefully we'll get a crowd out to see the movie, he says, "then the film will do what it does."

What it does, McGowan hopes, is draw an audience right into the story.

"I'm an unabashed populist. I want the stuff I do to be for the masses. I'm not trying to make a film for the art house. I'm not trying to 'not make' it either.

"But I feel like a 10-year-old and a 70-year-old could both like Saint Ralph. And that, hopefully, doesn't diminish the integrity of the film."

Confident that his film is ready to be thrust into the glare of the festival spotlight, McGowan says now focused on keeping the whole experience in perspective.

"I'm doing breathing exercises," he jokes, before turning serious. "There's a lot at stake. We're trying to make a U.S. sale and the film has been foisted up as one of the new ways film is going -- so there's a lot of pressure on this film to perform."

How it performs, McGowan says, is up to the audiences.

In the meantime, he's determined to enjoy the ride.

"If you can't have fun you need a different profession," McGowan says, anticipating the festival's heady, hectic atmosphere.

"It's a different world, but when it's over you're back to your regular life again."

McGowan's Saint Ralph kicks off the Canada First! programme on Saturday afternoon.

The other nine features in the series include the North American premiere of Carole Laure's CQ2 (Seek You Too); director Chris Abraham's I, Claudia adapted from the stage play of the same name; the world premiere of Vancouverite Mark A. Lewis' ironic fable Ill Fated; Daniel Roby's Peau Blanche and Rob Stefaniuk's alcoholic alien travelogue Phil the Alien.