It’s here: jam-packed days, sleepless nights (facilitated by the 4am last call) and Toronto in its finest form.
Of course, we’re talking about the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). And each day we are going to bring you 3 of the most notable things from the day and night before.
So, about last night…
The party: The Imitation Game cast party at Soho House
One of the busiest and most over-the-top parties we’ve been to, it took over the first two floors with no shortage of food and ample Grey Goose cocktails. Once again looking flawless, in what could pass for a stunning white wedding dress (and not in a weird way), Kiera Knightley remained seated on a couch most of the evening. Though co-star Matthew Goode showed up, Benedict Cumberbatch was noticeably absent, having to catch an 11pm flight home. Maybe the insane amount of screaming fans at the premiere earlier was too much for him? To make up for it, Downton Abbey’s Allen Leech gave us all a show with ample PDA with new girlfriend Charlie Webster (including a steamy makeout outside of the bathroom). The action moved upstairs around 11:30, where Harvey Weinstein held fort in a booth and was happy to chat with anyone (providing they weren’t male journalists), especially a smiling Wayne Gretzky (he just looks like a nice guy) and his insanely hot wife. Once again, Robert Pattison returned to the terrace for some late night cocktails.
The Film: Good Kill
Directed by Andrew Niccol and starring longtime heartthrob Ethan Hawke, Good Kill had its Canadian premiere last night after premiering earlier this month at the Venice Film Festival. Perhaps one of the TIFF’s most timely films (and one that will appeal to you forward-thinking young professionals), the film centres on a drone operator (Hawke) who is met with a moral dilemma when he’s forced to question the ethics of his job. We can see how that would happen when you spend your days fighting the Taliban by remote control all day (literally killing people remotely – video game-style) while struggling to maintain a family and home in the suburbs. Also featuring January Jones as Hawke’s wife, the thriller explores the issues and implications of modern warfare, technology, and mental health.
The Place: NKPR’s IT Lounge
Some of the most recognizable faces on both the big and small screen continued to hit up NKPR’s IT Lounge over the past 5 days to score eats from Casa Barilla restaurant, Tromba Tequila and bottlegreen drinks, and (obviously) swag – not to mention have their portrait taken by Caitlin Cronenberg. Now in its ninth year, the W Magazine IT Lounge Portrait Studio retuned as a TIFF staple (from September 4-9), serving as a sanctuary for talent to recharge. Yesterday was perhaps the most star-packed of the lounge’s run, when the cast of Maps to the Stars, Julianne Moore, Robert Pattison, Canadian ‘it’ girl Sarah Gadon, Evan Bird, David Cronenberg, Patricia Clarkson, and Bill Nighy all stopping by.
#NOTABLE
Images: GreyGoose, tiff.net, NKPR
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