Fewer stars and less buzz are expected at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, which kicked off Thursday under the shadow of dual strikes by Hollywood writers and actors.
Even as red carpets rolled out around TIFF’s downtown headquarters, many questions lingered about how the notoriously celebrity-drenched event would look in a year when most famous people weren’t expected to attend.
More than 200 feature films are packed into this year’s 11-day program, roughly on par with last year’s lineup, and festival CEO Cameron Bailey says ticket sales and interest in the festival are “as strong as ever.”
“We’re the centre of the film world, and we’re proud of that,” he told The Canadian Press in an interview before TIFF got underway.
The festival’s opening night film is Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s feature “The Boy and the Heron,” about a boy who embarks on a journey into a magical world after his mother dies during the Second World War.
Miyazaki, who’s in his 80s, was not expected to attend the festival, although several big-name directors are, including Spike Lee and Pedro Almodovar, who are each getting a festival Tribute Award.
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Some Hollywood stars will also make the trek, including Sean Penn, Willem Dafoe and Nicolas Cage, who are part of films that have received waivers from the actor’s union to participate in the festival.
However, expectations for celeb-spotting at premieres and parties remain low as members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Writers Guild of America continue a work stoppage that extends to publicity events.
Unions for Hollywood writers and actors are each seeking improved compensation and job protections from labour contracts with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator of SAG-AFTRA, was among those expected to walk the red carpet for festival opener “The Boy and the Heron.”
Bailey and festival organizers have put significant effort into ensuring the magic of cinema prevails amid dimmed star wattage.
At the park outside Roy Thomson Hall, where some of the biggest red carpet premieres take place, the usual space for international media has been downsized to make room for a grassy area in the round where fans can gather to watch giant digital screens projecting TIFF moments.
A short walk away, a small stage will host live music acts, most notably Nickelback who will play on Friday to help promote their documentary “Hate to Love: Nickelback,” which premieres the same day.
Viral pop singer Lil Nas X is expected to draw a crowd when he walks the red carpet on Saturday night for his doc “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero,” while a newly minted Imax version of Talking Heads’ concert film “Stop Making Sense” will premiere on Monday as David Byrne’s band sits down for a Q-and-A with Lee.
Other buzzy titles at the festival include Viggo Mortensen’s western drama “The Dead Don’t Hurt,” Michael Keaton’s “Knox Goes Away” and the horror drama “Dream Scenario,” starring Cage.
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