What to know
- Antonio Banderas, Forest Whitaker and Eva Birthistle are expected at the 4 p.m. red carpet for Up Against It at Roy Thomson Hall.
- Hudson Williams, Carrie-Anne Moss and Noah Reid are among the stars expected at the YAGA red carpet at TIFF Lightbox at 7:30 p.m.
- Michelle Yeoh is expected at the 8 p.m. North American premiere of It’s My Time at Roy Thomson Hall.
- Several films are screening throughout the day, including Being Heumann, Alpha Gang, The Debut, YAGA and Arrested Memory.
- Thursday will be mainly cloudy, with a 30 per cent chance of morning showers, a high of 25ºC and a low of 14ºC.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is entering its eighth day, bringing names like Antonio Banderas, Hudson Williams, and Michelle Yeoh to the city.
There’s only a few more days left for the event, and here is what you need to know about red carpets, screenings, and weather to prepare for a great festival day.
Red carpets
Up Against It
Location: Roy Thompson Hall
Time: 4 p.m.
Pairing Antonio Banderas and Eva Birthistle, romantic comedy Up Against It explores how the dedication to their child brings two divorced parents together and stirs up a long-dormant sexual companionship. The world premiere of the film is happening today, with its red carpet featuring:
- Antonio Banderas
- Forest Whitaker
- Eva Birthistle
- Arinzé Kene
- Eden Hamilton
- Trudie Styler (director)
Happily Ever After
Location: Royal Alexandra Theatre
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Awarded Taiwanese-American writer and director Feng-I Fiona Roan brings her latest film, Happily Ever After, for its world premiere at TIFF today. This familiar drama reflects on the definition of happiness by following the conflict between two very different sisters. Talent to attend the red carpet include:
- Shuhua Yeh
- Xuan Chen
- Fiona Feng-I Roan (director)
YAGA
Location: TIFF Lightbox
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Any Heated Rivalry fans out there? Canadian sensation Hudson Williams will also be making an appearance on TIFF today as part of the world premiere of YAGA. His new TV series is an adaptation of writer Kat Sandler’s play that uncovers the mysteries behind the disappearance of a local party boy. The series promises to bring other renownedCanadian stars into town, including:
- Hudson Williams
- Carrie-Anne Moss
- Noah Reid
- Clark Backo
- Sheila McCarthy
- Kat Sandler (writer)
It’s My Time
Location: Roy Thompson Hall
Time: 8 p.m.
Thursday also marks the North American premiere of It’s My Time, a Chinese comedy about a woman fighting to master the magic cube, featuring Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once actor Michelle Yeoh. Expected talent at the red carpet include Yeoh and director Bai Xue.
Arrested Memory
Location: Royal Alexandra Theatre
Time: 10:45 p.m.
Today’s Midnight Madness feature Arrested Memory is also having its North American premiere. The comedy follows an experienced detective who is diagnosed with dementia and heads to a multimillion-dollar ransom for a new investigation. The film’s cast is not expected at the red carpet, but director SABU will be included.
Screenings
Beyond the red carpets, there are also movies for every taste being screened at the festival today, and here are some of the main ones to check out:
- Being Heumann at TIFF Lightbox at 10:45 a.m.
- A Long Winter at TIFF Lightbox at 11:15 a.m.
- The Liberation at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 12:10 p.m.
- Alpha Gang at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre at 2 p.m.
- The Debut at TIFF Lightbox at 2 p.m.
- The Only Living Pickpocket in New York at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 3 p.m.
- Anchors Aweigh at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 4 p.m.
- Up Against It at Roy Thomson Hall at 5:30 p.m.
- Happily Ever After at Royal Alexandra Theatre at 7:30 p.m.
- YAGA at TIFF Lightbox at 9 p.m.
- I Play Rocky at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 9:20 p.m.
- Crystal Lake at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 9:30 p.m.
- Girl Group at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 9:40 p.m.
- Vintage Violence at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 9:55 p.m.
- Arrested Memory at Royal Alexandra Theatre at 11:59 p.m.
Weather
It’s starting to look more and more like fall, and festival goers can expect a slightly gloomier day on Thursday.
Forecasts indicate mainly cloudy weather throughout the day with a 30 per cent of showers in the morning, and a high of 25ºC with humidity making it feel like 28. It’ll also be partly cloudy tonight, becoming clearer in the evening, with a low of 14ºC.
