Haggis's fame gave him pick of projects before Last Kiss

Oscar-winner Paul Haggis says his successas director of Crash and writer of Million Dollar Baby made him brave enough toturn down projects he once might have "clamoured" to do.

Haggis, who recently adapted The Last Kiss for the screen, was speaking before it debuted Sunday at the Toronto International Film Festival. He said he now has a choice of plum projects.

"I do projects that challenge me more and I turn down films I would have clamoured to do just a couple of years ago," Haggis, whose hometown is London, Ont., said ata press conference.

The Last Kiss is based on an Italian movie by director Gabriele Muccino. Haggis said he fell in love with Muccino's film, which is about coming to terms with life's hard knocks.

"I said, 'Listen, all I'll do is basically translate this film,'" he said.

Directed by Tony Goldwyn, The Last Kiss stars Zach Braff,ofScrubs and Garden State, as a 30-year-old man knocked for a loop by the news that his girlfriend is pregnant.

He becomes disillusioned by the idea that there are no more surprises left in his life and is attracted to a much younger woman, while all around him others of his generation are struggling with responsibility.

"I like the fact that we keep thinking we know that we've got these things figured out," said Haggis, 53.

"We set milestones for ourselves. We say, 'At 30, I'll have figured it out' and then you get to 30 and you go 'Hold on, when is it going to happen?' and then you get to 35 and 40. I enjoy playing with that."

As he did in his race relations ensemble piece Crash, Haggis keeps shifting perspective in his script for The Last Kiss, so filmgoers see the story from the point of view of different characters.

The Last Kiss, a Special Presentation at TIFF, was scheduled to screenat 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Haggis won a best picture Oscar for Crash, which he wrote and directed, and a best screenplay Oscar for Million Dollar Baby.

He was also scheduled towork with young filmmakers in Toronto at this year's Toronto International Film Festival Talent Lab.

On Monday, Haggis plans to visit his hometown, which isexpected to name a park after him.

"I'm going back to every school I was ever kicked out of," he quipped of the visit, which includes a visit to Fanshawe College and two high schools.

The filmmaker said he still finds it strange to be recognized.

"I really like it," he said. "It's just a little spooky when it happens."