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TIFF 2016: Favourite Moments

22 September, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

Another TIFF has come and gone, and all I’m left with is residual fatigue and lots of amazing memories. 30 minutes in the same room as Ryan Gosling? Check. Brunch with Sigourney Weaver? Check (well, kinda). Below are my most memorable moments from #TIFF16!

1. Variety Studio
Always a highlight of my TIFF, Variety Studio is usually located in a pretty small room with a handful of famous people going in and out, where you have to act cool, even when you really want to fangirl like you’ve never fangirled before. I’ve visited Variety Studio as a guest of Moroccanoil for the last few years, and I always walk away with lots of juicy star observations. This year, I breathed the same air as Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, John Legend, Gael Garcia Bernal, Gerard Butler, Gemma Arterton, Bill Nighy, Sam Claflin, ~~Miranda~~ Cynthia Nixon, and the cast of The Eagle Huntress.

Despite being in the same room as Ryan Gosling for nearly 30 minutes, I didn’t actually talk to the Canadian heartthrob. But I did watch him, like a creeper that I am. Ryan was shorter than I imagined, and looked very serious the entire time he was at the lounge (unlike Emma Stone, who was animated and smiled a lot). Strangely, I didn’t see the two interact very much – Emma was mostly with her people and Ryan with his. The only time we got to see Ryan’s warmer side, was when he spotted the star of The Eagle Huntress Aisholpan in her native garb, and went over to introduce himself. After a brief chat, he offered to take photos with Aisholpan and her family. I wasn’t quite sure whether the Kazakh family actually knew who Ryan was, but they were happy to snap a few photos with the actor. At the end of his visit, Ryan took some time to sign a postcard for Airbnb and Make-A-Wish foundation, and while waiting for the elevator, he stood right in front of me for nearly 5 minutes. It took all of my strength not to be that person and ask him for a photo; I played it cool instead…but those were the longest 5 minutes of my life. File this one under #TIFFregrets.

Just like in prior years, the British actors were my faves. They just seem to have a camaraderie that the Hollywood actors don’t seem to posses. This year, I watched the cast of Their Finest, including Sam Claflin, Gemma Arterton, and Bill Nighy, work the room and charm everyone in the vicinity. Bill Nighy made eye contact with anyone around him and said “hello”, which shouldn’t seem like a big deal, but it really is, because most of the stars don’t even make eye contact with the “civilians”. Gemma looked relaxed and beautiful, as did Sam, who seemed to be in a good mood and looked very friendly. Sam played the Holt Renfrew claw machine and had to try a couple of times before finally winning. It was cute to see how competitive he got. He also came by the Moroccanoil station to learn more about the products and walked away with a goodie bag of his own.

Other lucky guests who took home some Moroccanoil included John Legend (who chose to walk 6 flights of stairs down instead of waiting for the elevator), Cynthia Nixon (who came in looking a bit stern, but seemed to liven up at the sight of Moroccanoil…seriously!), Richard Gere (who popped in for a few minutes and was gone in a flash), and Gael Garcia Bernal (who was just as cute as I remember from back in 2007 when I met him at MTV, but didn’t spare a minute to sign the Airbnb/Make-A-Wish postcard, which was disappointing).

2. Brunch at Brassaii
Stargazing is a pretty popular activity during TIFF. You can find throngs of fans camping out on King St, in front of theatres, and waiting outside of various hotels, but did you know that you can have brunch at Brassaii, where all sorts of movie stars arrive to attend the Hollywood Reporter Lounge? It’s true! My friend Al and I stopped by Brassaii to try their new brunch menu, and in just one hour, we watched Sigourney Weaver walk in and out (apparently she requested a special vegetarian soup), and saw Felicity Jones in a pretty striped outfit. Had we had more time to hang out, we would’ve also seen Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, Douglas Booth and Bill Nighy, Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac, Pharrell and Taraji P. Henson (who was greeted with a banana cream tart, lemon meringue tart, a white chocolate/dark chocolate brownie, and a Happy Birthday song). It’s so easy – the stars literally come to you, and you don’t have to jockey for position, or stand in lines for hours – just enjoy delicious food like Oreo Pancakes and Fried Chicken and Waffles, while trying not to pass out when Ryan Gosling strolls by.

More after the jump!
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TIFF 2016: TIFF Soirée with Michael Fassbender

10 September, 2016 Nelia 1 Comment

After weeks of anticipation, it finally happened – TIFF Soirée with guest of honour Michael Fassbender. Fundraising for year-round initiatives like Pocket Fund, Special Delivery, and Reel Comfort, the gala kicked off with a fascinating on-stage conversation between TIFF Artistic Director, Cameron Bailey, and ~~the love of my life~~ Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender.

Looking dapper (and a little jet-lagged) in his blue Gucci suit, Fassbender was generous with his answers, and delved deep into the things that make him tick. One quote that seems to have gotten the most attention was the one about Michael’s performance as Magneto in X-Men. Despite the numerous reports claiming that he was embarrassed by his portrayal of Magneto, it sounded like he was only referring to the scene shown during the conversation, and as Fassbender described it was “just like some dude shouting”.

I wish I’d recorded the entire conversation, but I didn’t want to disturb my seatmates with the bright light of my phone, so here’s what I remember about the rest of the on-stage conversation.

Liam Cunningham moved in with Michael Fassbender for a couple of weeks to prepare for the infamous 23-minute and 27-page long one-take scene in Hunger, where Fassbender has a lengthy dialogue with Liam Cunningham’s character. “We got up every morning, cooked porridge, and we started rehearsing,” says Fassbender. “We did it every day for 11 days and had people bring lunch to us. The goal was to do it ten to 15 times a day and then Steve would come in in the evening and watch us, give us some notes, next day same thing.” Obviously, Magneto and Ser Davos were great roomies, since they only had to do 4 takes during filming.
In real life, Magneto’s superpower is power-napping. “I’m a great power napper. Having been a mutant with superhero powers, that is my real superhero power. I could do it now. I could just lie down on the stage, if it goes that way. There is the downside to it, when I get tired, I have to sleep. I can’t keep awake.”
When talking about his physicality in acting, we learned that shoes (or lack thereof) is one of the most important parts of Fassbender’s wardrobe, as choice of footwear grounds him “from the feet up”.
When asked about which film was the most personal to him, Hunger was his answer, “because I was hungry…to act, and quite literally”.
In a moment of self-deprecation, Fassbender admitted that he didn’t make a great first impression on Director Steve McQueen. “I think he said I was arrogant? I guess maybe I was a little defensive. I hadn’t been working a lot, and I don’t know how I came across in the room. I thought I came across well, but that just goes to show how much I know.”
If you were wondering about what turns him on, it seems that watching his movies for the first time with a live audience does the trick. “I get off on it a little bit. It’s nice when the sort of nerves and excitement are at maximum and you get to experience it with a very passionate audience and they’re usually very honest as well, so you get the full effect, as it were.”
A self-described “slow-learner”, Fassbender went into a bit of a panic when he received the “mountainous” script for Steve Jobs. “In rehearsals I was trying to find a way to get out of the job,” he said. “I remember telling my driver, ‘If I put my arm in the door, you should slam it. It should cause a break and it should get me out of this gig.'” Luckily, Michael kept his limbs clear of car doors, and ended up with an Oscar nomination as a result. Not bad for a slow-learner!
After being asked about working with Director Quentin Tarantino, Fassbender revealed that when he was 18, he directed and starred as Mr. Pink in a stage version of Reservoir Dogs. As such, being directed by Tarantino in Inglorious Basterds was “pretty special”.

After the interview, we headed upstairs to Malaparte for the cocktail party, where to my surprise, Fassbender was making the rounds, chatting with people and taking photos. I felt a little bad about stalking him around the room, but not bad enough to stop – I was too excited.

Michael looked great in person, with warm eyes and smile, and had a welcoming energy about him. He laughed often and when it was finally my turn to have a brief conversation with the man of the hour, I am embarrassed to say that I froze up a bit, and could only mumble something about my love of his acting and my appreciation of his performance in Fish Tank. Looking back, I wish I’d asked one of the many questions that were swirling in my head, but hopefully next time. After our brief chat, my friend Anita and I were lucky enough to actually get a photo with Fassy thanks to Nick from Best of Toronto. Giddy like schoolgirls, we let his handler lead him away to the next group of admirers, while we stood around, unable to believe our luck.

And while TIFF has only just begun, without a doubt in my mind, the TIFF Soirée was the best part of the festival for me – even if it happened before the official Day 1. Stay tuned for more TIFF coverage as the festival continues.

More photos after the jump!
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You Are Invited: TIFF Soirée with Michael Fassbender

30 August, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

TIFF time is the best time to be in Toronto, and what better way to kick off the festival than at TIFF Soirée on September 7th with actor extraordinaire Michael Fassbender as the guest of honour?! In case you’re not familiar with what TIFF Soirée is all about, I asked maxine bailey, the Vice-President of Advancement for TIFF, to share her thoughts on what to wear to this gala and why TIFF Soirée is a not-to-be-missed event this September.

Q: What is your inspiration for this year’s TIFF Soirée Outfit?
A: Comfortable Glamour. Is that a thing? If it is, I’m going for it. TIFF Soirée is ALL about dressing up, but making sure my feet comfortably make it through the following 11 days. Lashes, big hair, sparkles and glitter, AND, comfy shoes. After all, this is the launch of our 41st Toronto International Film Festival and a fundraising gala to support our year-round outreach activities the other 354 days.
Q: Does the choice of a special guest influence your style decisions for the event?
A: I believe, most of the men and women in attendance, will be dressing for our fabulous guest of honour, Mr. Michael Fassbender. I mean, who wouldn’t. Mr. Fassbender makes you want to up the ante!

Q: What makes TIFF Soirée one of the best galas of the festival?
A: It’s a fantastic kick-off to the Festival, it gives you a sense of all that is to come for the next 11 days! And, much more importantly, funds raised from this event enable TIFF to reach out to youth in under-served communities and provide access to high-quality opportunities to learn about and engage with film, bringing film screenings, director discussions and workshops to community partners across the city FREE of charge through our outreach programmes. Our core outreach programs (Pocket Fund, Special Delivery, Reel Comfort) emphasize access, inclusion and diversity.
Q: Is it important for you to incorporate Canadian-designed clothes into your TIFF Soirée look?
A: Absolutely. For the 7th year in a row, I’m working closely with my lovely co-designer, Susan Dicks, who makes the bulk of my Festival clothing. It’s important for me to feel and look good as we race through those 11 action-packed days so leading up to the Festival, I scour fabric stores and land on the doorstep of Susan’s studio with ideas, Pinterest pics, and tons of ambition.

And there you have it, if you love Michael Fassbender, would like to contribute to future TIFF initiatives, and can’t wait to dress up to celebrate the 41st Toronto International Film Festival, then you should definitely attend the TIFF Soirée on September 7th. The evening will start with an exclusive onstage conversation at TIFF Bell Lightbox, followed by a rooftop cocktail party…and of course, Michael Fassbender will be there too. Tickets are still available and can be purchased HERE. See you there?

More photos from past TIFF Soirées after the jump!
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