For many seasoned film critics, the Toronto International Film Festival is the busiest, most stressful time of year. But I’m not a film critic. I’m just a girl who loves movies and the odd star sighting. For me, TIFF is amazing and exciting, but it’s also chaotic, confusing and terribly difficult to go to. In fact, when I moved to Toronto last year around the same time as TIFF 2015, I couldn’t get tickets to any of the films I wanted to see after queuing online for an hour.
But this year, I have connections, namely media accreditation. So I’m putting that accreditation to good use and transporting you to the wacky world of TIFF. I’ve always wanted to know what a press conference with box-office stars is like and how you get into TIFF parties. What’s the deal with Festival Street, and what’s worth going to?
This is My First TIFF diary.
So what’s it like to be at a press conference with Denzel Washington?
Michelle da Silva
As a journalist, I go to a lot of press conferences, but when you’re working in news, they’re not typically very exciting. Needless to say, I felt starstruck at the thought of attending one where Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke and Chris Pratt would be there – in the flesh.
The trio of Hollywood celebrities are at TIFF for the world premiere of The Magnificent Seven, which is a remake of the 1960s John Sturges Western starring Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen. The updated version is directed by Antoine Fuqua, who made Southpaw, The Equalizer and Training Day, which won Washington his Oscar.
The press conference is open to anyone with a press pass, but you have to get there early to get into the room. There were probably 100 journalists and photographers lined up for the press conference at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, and we stood in line until we were led into the room at 4:30 pm, the event’s scheduled start time. One of the first things I’ve learned about TIFF is that there’s a lot of waiting around. Also, unless you have photography approval, no photos allowed.
Inside the press conference, there was a long table on stage with name cards of all the stars in attendance. It’s just how press conferences are depicted in the movies. Around 30 minutes after its scheduled start time, the stars finally filed in: Peter Sarsgaard, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Haley Bennett (the only female lead in the film), Vincent D’Onofrio, Byung-Hun Lee, Martin Sensmeier as well as Washington, Pratt, Hawke and Fuqua. A mic got passed around the audience for questions.
“Why did you want to remake The Magnificent Seven?” a journalist wanted to know.
“I just wanted to see Denzel on a horse,” Fuqua answered.
“I did it because Antoine asked me,” Washington added.
The press conference felt like it got off to a rocky start. There was definitely a lack of energy onstage, and maybe even a lack of interest. The only stars who seemed mildly thrilled to be there were Pratt and Lee, who was quiet most of the press conference until he shared an anecdote about how thrilled his wife was to meet Hawke when he brought her to set one day.
“I like Ethan,” Lee said. “But in many ways, I also hate him.” Hawke, who sat stone-faced and still for most of the event, noticeably blushed.
Most of the questions lobbed by members of the press, however, sounded uninspired and similar. Everyone kept asking Fuqua about how his movie differed from the original, what it means to make a Western with a racially-diverse cast and how the film might impact gun culture in the U.S.
Washington and Fuqua shot most of those questions down, insisting they thought little about the 1960s version and they just wanted to make a movie with horses. Then the press wanted to hear about Washington riding a horse.
“The horse was terrified,” the actor answered with a laugh.
For the most part, the press conference was dull. I learned that most of the journalists around me hadn’t even seen the film. They were there to see Denzel, and who can blame them?
For me, I too felt buzzed from seeing some of my favourite actors up close. It’s not every day you get to see movie stars in the flesh, which explains why the red carpet event for the film’s premiere that evening was packed. Even if it feels like the stars don’t really want to be there, it’s certainly one of the most thrilling parts of TIFF for mere mortal attendees.
Get more TIFF 2016 here.
michelled@nowtoronto.com | @michdas
