Typically, half of Hollywood calls Toronto home for a few days during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), as famous faces grace the city’s red carpets, movie theatres, and restaurants. But, for those in the dark, TIFF looks a little different this year – and yes, writing that gave me a bit of PTSD/ déjà vu of the famed festival during the pandemic. Despite a splashy and solid turnout last year, as the city was finally starting to come back to life after its lengthy series of restrictions, it seems TIFF can’t catch a break as of late. This year, due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, most of the big screen’s most recognizable names are staying put in California (or soaking up the last of the European summer sun on their yachts) instead of hitting Toronto’s stages and red carpets to promote their films.
For weeks leading up to the festival, event planners, public relations people, and the media collectively held their breath, hoping that a deal would be reached and that a slew of celebrities could pack their bags and hit Toronto.
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Of course, that hasn’t happened (and we want to be clear that we support the striking actors and writers). As a result, there’s notably less star power on red carpets and at after-parties this year. But that doesn’t mean the city isn’t alive with that distinct film festival energy that always snaps us all out of sleepy summertime mode – it’s here in full force (along with our TIFF-time raspy voices). So are a handful of Hollywood’s finest as well. Celebs who worked as directors and producers on films (as opposed to actors) are free to promote them.
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“It’s not as star-studded as normal, but it’s actually exceeded my expectations – given the circumstances,” says Ryan Emberley, a well-known Toronto photographer who’s no stranger to shooting famous faces. “I was in Venice for the film festival just before TIFF and noticed the same thing. So, it seems there are some loopholes. Nonetheless, all the hotel, restaurant (etc.) cancellations are still a drag on the local economy that depends on a robust film festival. But all things considered, I’m pleasantly surprised.”
Fellow famed photographer George Pimentel has been snapping celebrities at TIFF (and the Oscars) for decades. “For whatever reason, I thought it would be another pandemic-style TIFF, but it’s not,” says Pimentel. “Everyone is still having their parties even though there’s the strike. There are about five or six parties a night that I have to shoot.” He does, however, say there’s a void in the festival in its lack of star power. “It’s more about the movies, not the celebrities, which is a good thing,” says Pimentel. “But this is pure business right now and everyone’s hands are tied.”
On Opening Night, the absence of stars Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, and Kristin Scott Thomas at the North Star premiere was felt, as was a lack of a post-show Q&A. We thought that may set the stage for the festival. The next day, however, Chad Kroeger and the rest of Nickelback – who are obviously unaffected by the strike – were happy to chat after the premiere of their documentary Love to Hate. The Canadian superstar – who holds the unofficial title of “most hated musician” – seemed chattier in the (completely amazing) Q&A post-show than he was in the film. Kroeger – who viewers inevitably develop a soft spot for throughout the film, even if he is slightly untethered – discussed run-ins with celebrities like Tom Cruise (who he heckled bandmate Ryan Peak for looking exactly like) and Sting. He also offered a dramatic “halleluiah” when the film’s director, Leigh Brooks, said he hoped the doc would end conversations about Nickelback being the long-time subject of constant ridicule.
On Sunday, we hit the world premiere of Close to You, starring Elliot Page and Hillary Baack. Because it was a Canadian-made production, the cast – including Page – was able to chat post-film. Notably, Page described how the entire film was improvised – something that involved takes well over a half hour long. (“Our longest take was 53 minutes,” he said) – with a script that contained zero dialogue. Page told the audience that the film’s themes emerged as they were making the movie, something he called “fascinating.” The ever-relevant and tear-jerking family drama/love story tells the story of Sam, a Toronto trans man who returns to his small town (Cobourg, Ontario) for his dad’s birthday after four years apart from his family. On so many levels, this is a film not to miss and marks Page’s first performance as a leading man after coming out as transgender in 2020. “It was one of the most incredible experiences of my career,” Page told the celebratory audience.
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At a Q&A session after last night’s screening of her film Widow Clicquot, its star Haley Bennett – who was given an AI waiver from SAG to promote the film (she’s also its producer) – gushed about the energy at this year’s festival. “What I’ve loved about being at this festival, especially this year, is that the audience is the star,” says Bennett. “You guys have showed up – hello – rain or shine, movie stars or no movie stars; you’re here because you love cinema. Your energy is infectious and your love for the theatrical experience is so inspiring. It’s just a reminder that filmmaking is a community; it’s about togetherness; it’s about connectiveness and I sincerely hope that this strike can come to a conclusion soon so that we can get back to doing what we love so much, and that is making movies for you guys.”
Of course, TIFF is always synonymous with some of the city’s best parties. While the guest lists may not have included as many celebs as in the past, TIFF parties are in full-swing. RBC House is always a hot-ticket during TIFF. This year, the pop-up moved from its long-time spot at the Storys Building to Petros82. On Friday night, the one and only Shaquille O’Neal – AKA DJ Diesel – treated guests to a high-energy set. Towering over the crowd, Shaq had got the crowd dancing to everything from hip-hop anthems of times past and electronic beats to Nirvana. The event attracted guests like Toronto Maple Leafs Max Domi and Austin Matthews.
“The energy during this year’s opening weekend of TIFF was electric as always, with our highly-anticipated RBCxMusic Night giving music fans, athletes, artists, social media influencers and more an unforgettable performance by DJ Diesel,” says Shannon Cole, vice president, brand marketing, RBC. “As a proud, long-standing partner of the festival, seeing the enthusiasm for our events at RBC House and activations like the RBC Red Carpet Gallery is incredible.”
Meanwhile, over at Marbl, the venue for Cinema Center hospitality hub, the after-party for Canadian-made film Backspot was full of both dramatic bottle service deliveries and notable names on Friday night. The film’s director, D.W. Waterson, is also a DJ and kept the vibe going late into the evening. Producer Elliot Page (he’s on fire this TIFF) was along party guests, and appeared in good spirits throughout the evening. On Saturday night, up in Forest Hill, the Artists for Peace and Justice Festival Gala – an annual hot-ticket event co-chaired by PR powerhouse Natasha Koifman and Zoomer editor-in-chief Suzanne Boyd – attracted names like Nelly Furtado, Director X, and Fefe Dobson. That same night, we saw Sean Penn mixing and mingling at the Closer Media party at EPOCH in the Ritz-Carlton Toronto.
For local restaurants, they are still busy, even if parties are less splashy. “Celebrities are a big part of the excitement around TIFF so this year is definitely slightly different,” says restauranteur Hanif Harji, CEO of Scale Hospitality. “That said, those celebs who attended events stayed longer and seemed to be more engaged. In addition, TIFF does such a great job with its film selections and this year is no different. We are seeing the same enthusiasm from clients and the turnout has been great.”
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Harji says that he’s seen a bump in reservations since the festival started. “Guests seem to be in a great mood,” says Harji. “The streets have been busy with the beautiful weather.” The closed-off portion of King Street – which was shut down to car traffic from Peter Street to University Avenue for festival activations – was bustling with crowds all weekend-long. Harji’s King West restaurant Pink Sky hosted the Daddio after-party on Sunday, with guests in attendance including Dakota Johnson, Maya Hawke, and Sean Penn.
Speaking of Maya Hawke, her famous dad, Ethan Hawke, was in town to walk the red carpet for Wildcat, a film that saw him direct his daughter. Hawke was so determined not to miss the festival, that he told reporters on the red carpet that – after three flights were cancelled – he took an overnight bus from New York City to Toronto. Anyone who’s ever done that bus (yep, it’s me) knows it’s no joke – let alone for Ethan effing Hawke, so he’s pretty much won TIFF in our eyes.
Meanwhile, the award for the best musical performance this TIFF (so far, at least) goes to Max Kerman of famed Canadian band The Arkells. On Monday night, he treated the crowd at the Productivity Media party – held at a recently revamped Myth – to a high-energy performance that saw the frontman get up and perform on all sides of the central bar.
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Just when we thought the festival may be starting to wind down, we had the chance to speak to the radiant Salma Hayek Pinault on Wednesday on the red carpet for her holiday film, El Sabor de la Navidad. The superstar gushed about her “marriage” to her long-time producing partner, Jose “Pepe” Tamez. Read more about this here.
On Saturday, our friends at partner publication Gent’s Post caught up with the one-and-only Sylvester Stallone on the red carpet for his documentary, Sly. The iconic actor shared his insights on what makes a great partner.
Other famous faces that have been spotted around town include Patricia Arquette, Laura Linney, Ava DuVernay, Lil Nas X, and TIFF staple Jessica Chastain.
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In short, the TIFF energy is back. And we’re having as good of time as ever out there, even with less celebrity spotting.
Hero photo: Laura Linney, Maya Hawke and Ethan Hawke (34 length) at the Wildcat international premiere party hosted by World Class Canada and Audi Canada at Margo at Clio during the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. (Photo: Courtesy of World Class Canada / Audi Canada).
