FESTIVAL INSIDER

Black Swan opens the 67th Venice Film Festival – Natalie Portman joins director Darren Aronofsky in Italy – Mila Kunis still filming in New York

Richard Budman — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:06:02 +0000

The world’s oldest International Film Festival – Venice kicked off their 67th edition last night with a Gala world premiere of DARREN ARONOFSKY’S Black Swan. The eagerly awaited thriller features NATALIE PORTMAN and MILA KUNIS as dueling ballerinas and will also make a Toronto International Film Festival debut next week. Variety’s Peter Debruge called it a “wicked, sexy and ultimately devastating study of a young dancer’s all-consuming ambition.”

Portman made the trip to Italy to accompany her director and was a beautiful vision of red on the Gala opening night red carpet.

Unfortunately, Natalie’s co-star from the film, MILA KUNIS did not make the trip to Venice. Mila’s career is on fire of late and has been filming back-to-back projects for the last while. So on the same day Portman was supporting the film in Venice, Kunis was in New York shooting a romantic comedy with Justin Timberlake.

Will Mila’s busy filming schedule also keep her from TIFF’s red carpet when Black Swan has it’s Toronto premiere? This Festival Insider is betting there just might be enough space in Mila’s schedule next week for a quick Toronto visit.

“Six months ahead of the film, I went into sort of hyper-training, where five hours a day I was doing both ballet and cross-training, with swimming. A few months before was when we started getting into the choreography. It was very extreme.” – Natalie Portman, in Venice on her preparation for Black Swan

Cadillac Festival Insider chats with film critic Richard Crouse on TIFF 2010 picks – Emma Stone in Easy A, Woody Allen’s latest and THE BOSS

Festival Insiders — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:49:57 +0000

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

Richard Budman — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:51:39 +0000

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.

So, what actor has no managers or agents and a 1-800 number for meetings?

Richard Budman — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:23:30 +0000

Seeing this veteran actor’s name expected at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival reminded the Festival Insider of a story heard last year during TIFF when the actor was attending.

At the press conference for their film last year (a press conference the actor was expected to attend, but at the last minute decided they would rather just quietly walk around the Kensington Market area of Toronto.) The director praised the actor’s work in the film and couldn’t believe he got this actor in the first place. The director in the press conference went on to describe the “unique” process it was to cast this actor.

The actor never auditions nor takes any meetings (or even phone calls) before accepting a role. This person has no agency representation. Actually, no agents, managers, or publicists. Just a single lawyer for over 30 years.

If the actor agrees to hear your pitch the lawyer forwards a 1-800 number. You call and leave a message describing your story. If the actor likes what they hear. The screenplay is forwarded through the lawyer. No phone calls. no meetings.

So who is this actor?

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The Toronto Film Festival is about the FILMS – but it’s also about the STARS and DIRECTORS. Guess who’s coming…

Richard Budman — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:32:34 +0000

We know the Toronto International Film Festival is about the films. But it’s certainly also about the STARS and their DIRECTORS that descend upon Toronto each year. TIFF released their guest list of celebrities expected to attend and it’s a doozy. With legends like Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, and Robert Deniro attending – it’s looking like a banner year for TIFF’10. While the list is NOT complete and we are sure to see other names pop up at the Festival it’s certainly a great start.

So who’s expected to attend the 2010 Toronto Film Festival…

Aamir Khan, Aaron Eckhart, Aaron Poole, Abigail Breslin, Adelaide Clemens, Adrienne Ciuffo, AJ Bowen, Alessandro Nivola, Alex Russell, Alexander Gammal, Alexandra Chowaniec, Allie MacDonald, Amanda Plummer, Amber Heard, Amy Grey, Amy Madigan, Amy Ryan, Anamaria Marinca, Andrea Riseborough, Anna Hopkins, Anna Mae Routledge, Andy Sparacino, April Telek, Aqib Khan, Ari Cohen, Audrey Mars, Barry Pepper, Belén Rueda, Bill Gates, Bill Murray, Bill Pullman, Bjorn Lomborg, Blake Lively, Bob Hoskins, Bruce Greenwood, Bruce Springsteen, Carey Lovelace, Carey Mulligan, Carla Sacks, Carrie Ng, Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Keener, char davies, Charlotte Rampling, Christopher C.J. Wallace, Christopher Plummer, Cindy Nelson, Clive Owen, Colin Firth, Connor Paolo, Craig Roberts, Cyril Dugovic, Danielle Harris, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Dave Lawrence, David Suzuki, David Timoner, Dominic Cooper, Doro Bachrach, Dwight Yoakam, Edward Norton, Ellen Page, Emily Hampshire, Emma Roberts, Emma Stone, Emmanuel Bilodeau, Erwin Strauss, Evan Sneider, Fisher Stevens, Francesca Gasteen, Freida Pinto, Garrett Dillahunt, Gemma Arterton, Geoffrey Canada, Geoffrey Rush, George Rush, Georgina Haig, Glenn Howerton, Guerilla Girls, Hallie Switzer, Harvey Keitel, Helen Mirren, Hilary Swank, Irène Jacob, Isabelle Blais, Jackson Rathbone, Jake Johnson, James Caan, James Franco, Jason Jones, Javier Bardem, Jay Baruchel, Jennifer Connelly, Jeon Do-yeon, Jeremy Renner, Jill Hennessy, Jim Broadbent, Joe Swanberg, John Brolin, John Ortiz, Jon Hamm, Jon Lovitz, Jonathan Baldock, John Legend, Josh Hartnett, Josh Lucas, Juan Diego Botto, Julian Richings, Julie Bilson Ahlberg, Juno Temple, Kailey Swanson, Kat Dennings, Kat Germain, Keanu Reeves, Keir Gilchrist, Kelly Preston, Kevin Spacey, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Kristin Scott Thomas, L.J. Benet, Lambert Wilson,Laura Dern, Lee Jung-jae, Lee Pace, Lesley Chilcott, Lesley Manville, Liana Liberato, Liv Tyler, Ludivine Sagnier, Macha Grenon, Malin Akerman, Maria Bello, Marion Cotillard, Martha Wilson, Martin Sheen, Martina Gusman, Mary Steenburgen, Matt Damon, Maya Hawke, Megan Fox, Melanie Laurent, Michael Angarano, Michael C. Hall, Michael Moore, Michael Pena, Michael Sheen, Mickey Rourke, Milla Jovovich, Minnie Driver, Miranda Richardson, Molly Parker, Morgan Davidoff,Nadia Litz, Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Noah Reid, Oliver Ackland, Olivia Newton-John, Olivier Barthelemy, Om Puri,Paolo Costanzo, Patrick Labbé, Paul Giamatti, Paul J. Spence, Penn Badgley, Philomène Bilodeau, Pierre Bergé, Rachel Weisz, Rachelle Lefevre, Rainn Wilson, Ray Winstone, Rebecca Hall, Rebecca Hill, Reece Thompson, Rick Miller, Robert De Niro, Robert James, Roberta Cairney, Romain Duris, Ron Hynes, Ron Perlman, Ronnie Fridthjof, Rosamund Pike, Ross Clark, Ruth Charney, Ruth Sheen, Ryan Gosling, Ryan Kwanten, Ryan Phillippe, Ryan Reynolds, Sally Hawkins, Sam Rockwell, Sara Stockman, Sarah Kolasky, Sarah Peter, Sarah Silverman, Scott Speedman, Seán Cullen, Shannon Woodward, Stephen Eric McIntyre, Stephen Root, Temuera Morrison, Terra Hazelton, Thomas Haden Church, TJ Power, Tracy Lawrence, Uma Thurman, Valentina Berisa, Vera Farmiga, Vincent Cassel, Will Ferrell, William B. Davis, William H. Macy, Woody Harrelson, Xiao Min, Yasmin Paige, Zach Braff, Zach Galifianakis, Zak Santiago.

and their filmmakers…Clint Eastwood, Woody Allen, Robert Redford,

Aamir Bashir, Aaron Phelan, Abe Sylvia, Achero Mañas, Adam Wingard, Alejandro GonzálezIñárritu, Álex de la Iglesia, Alex Gibney, Amos Gitai, Andrew Lau, Andrucha Waddington, Andy De Emmony, Anna Boden, Anne Emond, Antoine Bourges, Anurag Kashyap, Apichatpong Weerasethakul,Atom Egoyan, Avi Nesher, Barr Gilmore, Barry Blaustein, Belmin Soylemez, Ben Affleck, Ben C. Lucas, Ben Stassen, Benoit Jacquot, Boo Junfeng, Brad Anderson, Brandon Cronenberg, Brian D. Johnson, Bruce LaBruce, Bruce McDonald, Callum Cooper, Cam Woykin, Carl Bessai, Carla Susanto, Caroline Monnet, Catherine Breillat, Catherine Martin, Charles Ferguson, Charlotte Sachs Bostrup, Chris Chong Chan Fui & Yasuhiro Morinaga, Chris Kraus, Christophe Nick, Thomas Bornot, Dan Popa, Dan Rush, Daniel Cockburn, Daniel Espinosa, Daniel Hendler, Danis Goulet, Danny Boyle, Darragh McDonald, Darren Aronofsky, David M. Rosenthal, David Schwimmer, Davis Guggenheim, Deborah Chow, Delfina Castagnino, Denis Côté, Denis Villeneuve, Derek Cianfrance, Djo Tunda Wa Munga, Dominic Angerame, Douglas Gordon, Dustin Lance Black, Ed Gass-Donnelly, Emilio Estevez, Emmanuel Shirinian & Russell Bennett, Emre Sahin, Eran Riklis, Eric Lartigau, Eriko Sonoda, Errol Morris, Ezra Holland, Federico Veiroj, Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, Tono Errando, Firas Momani, François Ozon, Frederick Wiseman, Gabriel Range, Gareth Edwards, George Hickenlooper, Gilles Paquet Brenner, Greg Atkins, Guillaume Canet, Guillem Morales, Guy Maddin, Guy Moshe,Hans Olson, Helga Fanderl, Ian Sharp, Iciar Bollain, Im Sang-Soo, Ingrid Veninger, Isaac Cravit, Isabelle Stever, J. Clay Tweel, Jacob Tierney, James Andean & Francois Xavier Saint-Pierre, James Benning, James Gunn, James Wan, Janus Metz, Jeff Barnaby, Jem Cohen, Jerome Sable, Jim Mickle, Joe LoBianco, Jody Shapiro, John Bolton, John Cameron Mitchell, John Carpenter, John Curran, John Gray, John Madden, John Price, John Sayles, John Turturro, Jonathan Nossiter, Jonathan Sobol, José Luis Guerin, Juanita Wilson, Julian Schnabel, Julien Carbon, Julio Hernández Cordón, Justin Chadwick, Justin Lerner, Katrin Bowen, Kaveh Nabatian, Kazik Radwanski, Kelly Reichardt,Ken Loach, Kevan Funk, Kevin Jerome Everson, Khalo Matabane, Kim Longinotto, Kiran Rao, Kire Paputts, Koen Mortier, Ky Nam Le Duc, Larysa Kondracki, Laura Israel, Leon Ford, Linda Hoaglund, Liz Van Allen Cairns, Laurent Courtiaud,Louis Bélanger, Louise Alston, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Madison Brookshire, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Malcolm Venville, Manuel Martin Cuenca, Marie-Josee Saint-Pierre, Marion Hänsel, Mark Hartley, Mark Romanek, Martin Sokol, Matt Reeves, Max Winkler, Michael Dowse, Michael McGowan, Michael Nyman, Michael Rowe, Michael Snow, Michael Vass, Michelangelo Frammartino, Mike Goldbach, Mike Leigh, Mike Mills, Milcho Manchevski, Mitch Glazer, Nadia Litz, Nathaniel Dorsky, Nick Fox Gieg, Nicolás Pereda, Nigel Cole, Oliver Husain, Oliver Schmitz, Ondi Timoner, Özlem Sulak, Pablo Trapero, Pasquale Scimeca, Patricio Guzmán, Pelin Esmer, Perry Bard, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pierre Thoretton, Rachid Bouchareb, Rebecca Meyers, Reha Erdem,Richard Ayoade, Richard Bowen, Richard J. Lewis, Risteard Ó Domhnaill, Rodrigo Cortés, Romain Gavras, Rowan Joffe, Ryan Fleck, Ryan Redford, Sara St. Onge, Sarah Bouyain, Sarah McCarthy, Saverio Constanzo, Seren Yüce, Sergei Loznitsa, Shawn Ku, Sion Sono, Sophie Fiennes, Sophie Goyette, Stefano Incerti, Stefano Pasetto, Stephen Frears, Steve Nash, Steven Silver, Sturla Gunnarsson, Susanne Bier, Tao Gu, Tayfun Pirselimog?lu, Terry Miles, Theodore Ushev, Theron Patterson, Thom Andersen, Thom Zimny, Tom Hooper, Tom Tykwer, Tomonari Nishikawa, Tony Goldwyn, Trevor Anderson, Vincent Biron, Vincent Gallo, Vincent Grenier, Wang Bing, Werner Herzog, Will Gluck, William D. MacGillivray, Wuershan, Xavier Dolan, Yoel Meranda.

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For Toronto Film Festival news, schedule, ticket info, and twitter updates on mobile – Get the official TIFF Blackberry App

Festival Insiders — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:11:17 +0000

If your a Blackberry device user and looking for the most up-to-date information on the Toronto Film Festival while your on the go – download the official TIFF app from Blackberry World.

The app allows you to browse film and ticket info, view trailers, customize your own personal screening schedule, and see maps of locations of key TIFF hot spots. There’s even a place on the app to get a real-time Twitter feed of everything happening TIFF.

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Bruce McDonald’s TRIGGER – starring Molly Parker, Don McKeller, and the late Tracy Wright to be first film screened at The Bell Lightbox

Richard Budman — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:57:12 +0000

It was announced during August by Toronto Film Festival co-director Cameron Bailey that iconic film director Bruce McDonald’s latest feature, Trigger will be the inaugural film premiere on September 12th at the new home of TIFF – the Bell Lightbox on King st. It will certainly be a night when the best in Canadian cinema will shine.

Trigger has McDonald returning to familiar themes of musicianship and artistry explored in his earlier films. Starring Molly Parker and Tracy Wright as former music partners that are reunited years later. Sadly, Tracy Wright passed away this year and there are sure to be some special moments of remembrance when Trigger opens up the Bell Lightbox that first Saturday of TIFF’10.

Bruce McDonald first burst onto the Canadian filmmaking scene in the mid-90′s with the now cult classic, Hard Core Logo (We hear a sequel is in the works.) Quentin Tarantino is a big fan of Bruce McDonald movies especially Hard Core Logo. Tarantino actually helped McDonald distribute HCL under Tarantino’s own personal studio name to ensure the widest possible audience saw Logo. A few years ago before emerging onto the international scene with her Oscar nominated role in Juno – McDonald cast Ellen Page in The Tracey Fragments.

TIFF co-director Cameron Baily congratulates Trigger actor Don Mckeller at August press conference to announce the Bruce McDonald film as the Bell Lightbox opening night Gala.

Score: A Hockey Musical to open the 35th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival

Richard Budman — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:29:57 +0000

“Score: A Hockey Musical captures key elements of Canadian identity – our passion for our national pastime, our unique musical style and our special brand of humour.” – Piers Handling, TIFF co-director

The Hockey Hall Of Fame in Toronto could be considered an unusual place to hold the first official TIFF press conference of 2010. Festival co-directors Cameron Bailey and Pier Handling even entered the room in custom made hockey jerseys (#35 to honor the thirty-fifth edition of the festival.)

When Bailey started the announcement, “Ladies and gentleman, we’ve been drafted… into Hockeywood.” – The Cadillac Festival Insider knew we were in for a special announcement…

TIFF’s big 2010 Opening Night Gala on September 9th will be Score: A Hockey Musical.

Score: A Hockey Musical tells the tale of emerging love and fame for a teenage hockey phenom in Canada. The film features one of the most iconic stars ever of movie musicals, Ms. Oliva Newton-John of “Grease” fame. There’s also an impressive list of co-stars and cameo appearances. CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulos, Evan Solomon, singer Nelly Furtado, even Wayne Gretzky’s dad, Walter makes an appearance in what looks to be a very fun film.

TIFF showed the media a few minutes of the film during the opening press conference. The first thought that came to this insider’s mind was, “It’s maybe Glee on Ice!”

Score: A Hockey Musical features relative newcomers Noah Reid and Allie MacDonald in the lead roles. It was cool to see all the press attention they were receiving at the Hockey Hall Of Fame. You could tell it was still so new for them. The Festival Insider chatted with Ms. MacDonald for a few minutes and discovered it will be Allie and Noah’s very first trip to the Toronto Film Festival – and what a way to start – the featured stars walking the red carpet at the opening night Gala!

It’s sure to be quite exciting for the entire cast as they become the centre of attention that first TIFF evening in Toronto. Our advice to Ms. MacDonald and Mr. Reid was to just sit back in their Cadillac and enjoy the ride. It’s sure to be a very special one that evening for the newly minted stars.

Welcome to the Cadillac Festival Insider for all of the movie and celebrity news of the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival

Richard Budman — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:37:09 +0000

Welcome to the Cadillac Festival Insider! We’ll be featuring the latest celebrity news and movie buzz from the 2010 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival.

We will bring you inside TIFF – providing a sneak peek onto the red carpet and into the Gala parties. And there will be lots to talk about – over 300 films and hundreds of TIFF celebrity guests.

This year’s film festival is shaping up to be one of the greatest ever – with A-list acting talent, marquee filmmakers, and pop-culture icons all planning appearances in Toronto.

The guest list for this year’s festival will be posted soon, so check back often!

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

Richard Budman — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:46:38 +0000

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!