Oscar winning Slumdog Millionaire alumni Freida Pinto and director Danny Boyle are returning to the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival – but in different films this time

While they’ll be in Toronto to support different films this year during TIFF, Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto and her former director Danny Boyle are expected to reunite at sometime during the 2010 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival.

It was just two years earlier that their film, Slumdog Millionaire took the festival (and by extension, the world) by storm. When SlumDog captured the Cadillac People’s Choice Audience Award it would be just the first in many accolades to come for the film, culminating in the highest honor of them all – the Academy Award for Best Picture.

It’s been quite the whirlwind couple of years since Slumdog Millionaire introduced Freida Pinto to audiences outside her native India. Freida comes to the 2010 Toronto Film Festival in support of not one, but two films this year.


And those films are helmed by powerhouse directors. Pinto will first join director Julian Schnabel on the red carpet for the TIFF premiere of Miral. A few days later, we’ll see Freida join the iconic writer and director Woody Allen when You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger makes a TIFF debut.

Also happening during TIFF, Pinto’s Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle will premiere his follow-up directorial effort, 127 Hours. We just need now Freida’s Slumdog co-star, and real life boyfriend, Dev Patel to come to TIFF’10 for a true cast reunion.

Fade to Black – The Cadillacs have wrapped their starring role in the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

We have wrapped! And what an amazing TIFF’09 it has been. We put our best shine on and traveled to 21 Gala film premieres at Roy Thomson Hall and hundreds more at other Toronto theatres. We have met wonderful people from the United States, Europe, India, Asia, The Middle East, and Australia. We got numerous movie stars, TIFF helpers, worried publicists, (and one particular tiffinsider) to their screenings and press engagements on time. We even occasionally got that curious “what stars are you riding with?” look from Toronto bystanders. We have been left with the enchanting scents of beautiful actresses and actors – and even the occasional mess of an entourage. Our GPS was kept busy – often racing from red carpet premieres to trendy Toronto hot-spots. And yes, we even found time for an exotic drink or two (non-alcoholic of course, we were driving after all.) And we’ll be back to do it all over again. Perhaps in a slightly different shape, size, or colour next year. See you on roads in 2010!

Why PRECIOUS: Based on the Novel Push by SAPPHIRE is an important film to see – press conference for Cadillac People’s Choice Award winner in Toronto

The Toronto Film Festival Galas at Roy Thomson Hall was a great place for TIFF celebrity sightings

(festivalinsider.ca) If there was one change that proved popular this TIFF – it was the new red carpet set-up at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall. In years previous, The red carpet was on one side of the tight Simcoe St. and fans were stuck waiting on the OTHER side of the street. For 2009, the red carpet Cadillac drop-off of TIFF guests was brought into a park on the east side of the theatre, allowing the fans wanting a glimpse of their favorite TIFF stars a much closer look, and an excellent chance for a photo or autograph.

Sean Byrne’s THE LOVED ONES wins 2009 Cadillac People’s Choice Award – Midnight Madness at Toronto International Film Festival

TIFF midnight madness programmer Colin Geddes accepted the Cadillac People’s Choice Award from Frank Trivieri of GM Canada for best Midnight Madness feature on behalf of director Sean Byrne’s The Loved Ones at an awards reception hosted by Toronto’s Intercontinental Hotel.

“This is a candy-coloured popcorn film that invites the audience into a fun, pop-horror world that seems familiar. People will be in their seats, kind of comfortable, feeling like they’ve been here before and then we’ll sneak up and drop acid into their soda.” – SEAN BYRNE

It’s Leanne Pooley’s TOPP TWINS over Michael Moore’s CAPITALISM for Cadillac People’s Choice Documentary Award at 2009 TIFF

In a little bit of an upset, director Leanne Pooley’s TOPP TWINS has won the Cadillac People’s Choice Award for documentary at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. Michael Moore’s CAPITALISM was the runner-up.

“I have been making documentaries for twenty years, and usually they are dark. That is often the world a documentary filmmaker moves in, a dark world. This is a film about joy, and laughter, and love. And its just so special to be able to bring a film like that to audiences like yours. I have to thank the TOPP TWINS. who are a force of nature. Thank you so much.” – Leanne Pooley, director TOPP TWINS

STATEMENT from director LEE DANIELS on winning the CADILLAC PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD for PRECIOUS at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

“I like to dedicate this award to Cameron Bailey. Cameron your support of me and belief in my work from the beginning of the The Woodsman, Shadowboxer and now Precious is unparalleled. For that, I give you my fullest gratitude. I wish I could be there myself to accept the award on behalf of the film but I just landed in San Sebastian, Spain and I’m on the way for the films premiere here in a few hours. I can’t begin to express my gratitude. The audience award holds such an important meaning. I made this film for every person out there who ever looked in the mirror and felt unsure about the person looking back. This is not an art film for a select few. This is a movie that everybody can relate to. This film is for all precious girls and for everyone who has a little precious on the inside. Thank you so much, I am so honoured with this award there is nothing more special then being honoured by the public, by my peers. Again, I send heartfelt thanks to Maple Pictures and Lionsgate and somebody I forgot to thank at our premiere – a friend, an ally, a mentor, our co-executive producer Simone Sheffield. Thank you everyone.” – LEE DANIELS

KEANU REEVES opens the DOOR on second chapter of acting career with Rebecca Miller’s The Private Lives of Pippa Lee premiering at TIFF

(festivalinsider.ca) Keanu Reeves made a rare film festival appearance in Toronto this week with Rebecca Miller’s The Private Lives of Pippa Lee which premiered at TIFF to very good reviews (especially for Reeves’ co-star in the film Robin Wright Penn.) Reeves touched upon a number of subjects during a day of press leading up to the films Gala premiere. He shared his thoughts on the recent passing of a friend Patrick Swayze, “he was a beautiful person and honest.” Keanu also talked at length about how his career is in transition from the earlier action oriented parts he had become known for. “I feel I’m starting the second chapter of my career. It’s a property of age. Certain roles and what you’ve done in the past just don’t hold the same power…” said Reeves during the press conference for the film.

“I know I’ve been very lucky, and at this point, I don’t really have to work for dough.” – Keanu Reeves

A TIFF IT GIRL – MELANIE LYNSKEY has 3 films during 2009 Toronto festival – including BOTH Clooney films

With so many films playing in festivals this year for Melanie, she was asked if there is anything she likes to travel with to make her more comfortable away from home, “my dog and my husband… well, maybe NOT in that order.”

A Gorgeous George Clooney, Jeff Bridges and cast of Men Who Stare At Goats arrival at Roy Thompson Hall Red Carpet

(festivalinsider.ca) One of the most anticipated guests of the Toronto International Film Festival – Mr. George Clooney made his first (of two!) red carpet appearances on the first Friday of TIFF for The Men Who Stare At Goats.
Even with a banged up and bandaged hand, Clooney still spent a good fifteen minutes taking pictures with fans and signing autographs.

We want to make you feel like an INSIDER this TIFF – We got FREE SCREENING TICKETS and CADILLAC rides to give away – FOLLOW US on twitter for the details to win

The Cadillac TIFFinsider will be giving away FREE SCREENING TICKETS to many of the most popular films playing the Toronto festival this year. But your going to have to FOLLOW US on twitter (@tiffinsider) to really have the best chance to win.

Each day, we’ll be giving away FREE tickets at secret locations around Toronto. We’ll be revealing these locations and SECRET PASSWORDS exclusively on Twitter. SO YOU MUST BE FOLLOWING ALONG TO HAVE A GOOD CHANCE.

And it’s not just film tickets you can win. You’ll also have a chance to ride like that stars do and test drive a Cadillac.

(Sorry folks, you will have to be at least 19 years of age to win tickets and hold a valid drivers license if you want to cruise around in a Cadillac.)

Our first sets of complimentary tickets will be for screenings of JENNIFER’S BODY and ANTICHRIST on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH. Details to follow very soon at www.twitter.com/tiffinsider