Here we are, at the tail end of another Toronto International Film Festival. Our eyes aching from the concentration of celebrity sparkle they’ve had to absorb and our thesaurus all out of synonyms for the word “party.”
I’ve been here long enough to know that it’s pointless to best and worst TIFF moments. They’re just a series of close encounters with virtual stars and actual strangers, a few of which stand out more than the others as the credits roll on the festival of festivals.
Free the seals but cage the goats
Nigel Barker, that America’s Next Top Model shutterbug, threw a party for his save-the-seals project and actress Mena Suvari showed up to support the cause. At the Men Who Stare at Goats party later that evening though, her interest in animal welfare didn’t stop her from posing with caged bucks wearing “Don’t Stare at Me” t-shirts. Guess they just looked so darned cute.
Glass house for sale
All of us scene stalkers cited the brilliance of one Bridle Path home owner for hosting The Men Who Stare at Goats party with Vitamin Water at his mod, on-the-market-for-$10 million pad. Not sure if anyone put down an offer but with George Clooney, Steven Soderbergh, Jeff Bridges, Patricia Clarkson and Jason Bateman in the house, chances were better than usual.
It’s an OC reunion
There were Tate Donovan and Peter Gallagher together again at the Goats party. There was Adam Brody on the Jennifer’s Body red carpet. There was Kelly Rowan at the Artists for Peace and Justice fundraiser. But where, we wonder, was that diabolical Julie Cooper???
We like girls on the Globe and Mail’s worst dressed list
Valerie Tan’s getup at the Jennifer’s Body premiere charmed us because it was the antithesis of Megan Fox’s, well, foxiness and Amanda Seyfried’s blandness. When I spotted her walking through Yorkville the next day in sari pants layered over bionic leggings, proving that the quirky sense of style is her own, I was sold!
Holy haterade
I’m not the cruise down Richmond street in my supped up Civic on Friday night-type so I’ll be the first to admit that Nikki Beach wasn’t my scene but I was still surprised when our write up on the Park Hyatt spot drew loads of harsh comments. I thought nightclubs were supposed to come with surly security and perma-tans?
Celebrity sideshow
Did I miss the memo on why the Jonas Brothers were here during the festival, making hourly appearances at the Starbucks on Yorkville? They were more ubiquitous than Megan Fox who shares this year’s ever-present title with unexpected man-about-TIFF, Glorious 39’s Bill Nighy.
Smokin’ eats
We wouldn’t remember to eat during the fest if there weren’t hors d’oeuvres passed under our noses every ten second. Here’s a shout out to The Trotsky party at Pravda and its Schwartz’s smoked meat spread which actually counted as a meal.
Um, that TIFF tweet was kind of weird
The 140 characters have disappeared from their feed but photo evidence remains in eTalk’s Twitpic gallery of Danny Devito and Rea Pearlman reacting to a reporter telling the couple about Patrick Swayze’s passing. Awkward.
Where was my fashion fix?
I haven’t had a second to click through a single New York Fashion Week collection throughout the festival. The least the fashion gods could have done for my style starved soul was offer up a Tom Ford or Diane Von Furstenberg sighting but no dice.
On a personal note
My favourite, celeb-free memory of the festival is best told by Sarah-Nicole Prickett in her TIFFing point post on Toronto Life’s blog. Guess which one I am in the story? One hint: it’s not Lucy.
Until next TIFF…!
