Who Wore It Well? 12 Best Dressed Ladies at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival

The films are not the only things critiqued and talked about during the Toronto International Film Festival – so too are the red carpet fashions. We had some top-tier star style on display during the 36th edition of TIFF. So who caught our eye (and camera lens) in Toronto? Keira Knightley, Megan Fox, Anna Feris, Angelina Jolie, Sarah Gadon, Emily Blunt, Michelle Monaghan, Rebecca Hall, Wendy Crewson, Ashley Greene, Jennifer Garner and Madonna. (George Pimentel photos)

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Hundreds of party goers kicked off TIFF opening weekend at The Artists For Peace And Justice fundraiser

Hundreds of party goers kicked-off the opening weekend of the Toronto International Film Festival in fine style at the Artists For Peace And Justice fundraiser held at Ame. Guests mingled with the likes of Gerard Butler (in Toronto to support two films during TIFF,) Paul Haggis, Jason Reitman and Toronto’s own George Stroumboulopoulos came out to show their support of APJ and the worthy work it’s doing.

“This event was really unique,” said Haggis, Academy Award-winning director (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) and founder of APJ, which supports health, education and dignity initiatives in Haiti. “While many film festival events are restricted to film industry professionals and sponsors, this year TORO After Dark provided an opportunity for APJ to generate awareness and engage a new audience in a relaxed setting, while providing the opportunity to meet some of Hollywood’s biggest personalities.” Since 2009, events held during the Toronto film festival benefiting APJ have raised over $300,000, with a 100% of proceeds going directly to Haiti.

(Richard Budman photos) Cadillac Festival Insider SKYE is wearing designs by Stephan Caras and jewelry by Psalms 91:1 at the Artists For Peace And Justice fundraiser.

Hello! Canada celebrates Hollywood Style at Ritz Carlton hotel during the 2011 Toronto Film Festival

(September 10, 2011) Cadillac Festival Insider was at the grand new Ritz Carlton Hotel in Toronto as Hello! Canada magazine celebrates Hollywood Style. Held during the opening weekend of the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival the event brought out the best in Canadian media talent and an international star or two, including Backstreet Boys’ Howie D. Festival insider reporter SKYE even had her dreams come true when she got to duet with Howie.

Cadillac Festival Insider SKYE is wearing designs by Stephan Caras and jewelry by Psalms 91:1 at the Hello Canada! celebrates Hollywood at the Ritz Carlton hotel.

[Video] Cadillac Festival Insider gets ready for the TIFF red carpets at the gifting suites

[VIDEO] Cadillac Festival Insider got a taste of what the celebrities and VIP’s of the Toronto International Film Festival get to experience – a visit to the two top gifting suites that happen during every TIFF – The Tastemakers Lounge and the IT Lounge. The insiders came away pampered, ready for the red carpets and parties, and, with a big bag of swag!

Thank you!

Infamous street-artist Mr. Brainwash creates new installation for TIFF (Brad Pitt and Madonna are collectors)

The Toronto International Film Festival has proven the last few years to not just be about films. TIFF has shown it’s about music with attracting to the Festival some of the biggest pop acts in the world (Bruce Springsteen, U2.) The Festival has also very much shown it’s about art. In the case of the 2011 edition – TIFF is embracing a street-art style with commissioning none other than Thierry Guetta, aka Mr. Brainwash, to install works around Gala red carpets.

In celebration of the installation, Gallery One in Yorkville opens an exhibition to the public of Mr. Brainwash original works the day TIFF starts and running through to the end of the Festival (September 18th.)

The elusive street-artist Guetta even made an appearance at the private opening on September 7th. Guetta works in the same street-art style as masters in the field like Shepard Fairey – the artist behind the iconic Obama “Hope” poster, and of course, the infamous Banksy, the British star street-artist who pioneered the explosive interest in their types of works. Banksy directed the Oscar-nominated documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop last year which featured Mr. Brainwash at work.

The Gallery One exhibition is sure to attract some TIFF celebrities. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Madonna are all known to actively collect the works of Mr. Guetta.

At the exhibition opening, prices for some of Guetta’s pieces exceeded $25,000 – and they were selling. Mr. Brainwash art has been described in the past as “throwing modern cultural icons into a blender and turning it up to eleven.”

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Who wore it well? 12 Best Dressed Ladies at the 2010 Toronto Film Festival (George Pimentel photography)

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Duchess of York SARAH FERGUSON spent 15 years producing The Young Victoria – Toronto Film Festival’s closing night Gala film

The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson spent a few days in Toronto during TIFF week on a couple of different missions. First, The Duchess and her two daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York spent an evening at Ultra on Queen St. to launch the Canadian arm of the Sarah Ferguson Charitable Foundation. The next evening, The Duchess would be walking the TIFF red carpet to support a film she produced, the closing night Gala THE YOUNG VICTORIA featuring Emily Blunt in the starring role. Producing the film has been a 15-year labor of love for Ms. Ferguson as she first became fascinated with Royal life and its unique history when she spent time in Buckingham Palace after marrying Prince Andrew in 1986. The Duchess said in repeated media interviews during her week in Toronto that she related to the story of at least one character in the film, not the Queen herself, but Albert, the beloved consort who was after Queen Victoria’s heart.

“But if you’re not born into royalty, you never really belong there.” – SARAH FERGUSON

Tom Ford’s A SINGLE MAN comes to TIFF on Colin Firth’s BEST ACTOR Venice honors – Weinstein Co. acquire distribution

Actors Julianne Moore and Colin Firth joined TOM FORD at the very well-dressed and attended A Single Man after-party held at the Gardiner Museum. Fashion designer turned director-writer FORD proved during the 2009 Toronto Festival he will be a force in the film business. Riding an impressive wave of positive buzz from the Venice Film Festival where Colin Firth’s performance from Ford’s film won BEST ACTOR honors. A SINGLE MAN came out of the Toronto Festival with TIFF’s largest deal as the Weinstein Co. paid a few million dollars to secure U.S. distribution rights for Ford’s directorial debut.

IT LOUNGE gifting suite at Windsor Arms Hotel plays host to TIFF celebrities and contributes to a roster of charities

The IT Lounge, hosted by NKPR at The Windsor Arms Hotel during TIFF week is proud to have broken new ground as the first gifting suite in North America to have had each participating brand contribute to a charity or cause.

A who’s who of celebrities visited the IT Lounge during the week to lend their support. For each of those visits, a special donation was made to the 12 charities. Brooks, Fila, Goody , Sharpie, Universal Music, were just some of the gifting companies contributing to the program.

Some of the many celebrity guests that visited IT Lounge: Paul Haggis, Olivia Wilde, the entire crew from So You Think You Can Dance Canada, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Sissy Spacek, Saukrates, James Purefoy, Divine Brown, Kat Dennings, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Jennifer Garner, Russell Peters, Kyle MacLaghlan, Ivana Santilli, Marci Playground, Edward Norton, Ricky Gervais, Kardinal Offishal, Samantha Morton, Kristin Booth, Colin Mochrie, Deb McGrath, Eva Avilla, Lyriq Bent, Monika Schnarre, Caitlin Cronenberg, Lisa Ray, Verne “Mini-Me” Troyer, Terry Gilliam and many, many more!

rising star Amber HEARD at TIFF’09 with THE JONESES – Next up is THE RUM DIARY with Johnny Depp

Rising star AMBER HEARD was in Toronto for the world premiere of The Joneses. The film also stars Demi Moore and David Duchovny. Heard was channeling old-school Hollywood glamour during her stop at the after-party at AME on Mercer St. for the TIFF premiering film which has been earning strong reviews. Next up for Amber is a movie based on Hunter S. Thompson’s The Rum Diary, opposite Johnny Depp.

Nice guy Rick Campanelli of ET Canada gives his jacket to a shivering NATALIE PORTMAN on Toronto red carpet

ET Canada reporter Rick Campanelli proved chivalry is not dead on the red carpet of the Toronto International Film Festival. NATALIE PORTMAN arrived at her Roy Thomson Hall Gala premiere for Love and Other Impossible Pursuits looking simply sensational in a strapless mini dress. But with the red carpet outside and it being September in Toronto, there was a slight chill in the air. As Ms. Portman was doing her media duties, Campanelli noticed Natalie was cold. So he offered up his jacket – an offer Ms. Portman gladly accepted. We do hear the jacket was returned to Rick later that evening. And yes, the insider wonders, does Rick ever wash that coat again?

Kerry Washington and Naomi Watts celebrate Mother and Child with a few TIFF party stops

(festivalinsider.ca) KERRY WASHINGTON and NAOMI WATTS attended the party for Mother And Child at Swarovski crystal store on Bloor Street prior to their Gala TIFF screening. Watts and Washington continued the celebrating after their premiere stopping by a party at The Gardiner Museum for designer turned director Tom Ford’s A Single Man

MATT DAMON parties during TIFF week with BILL CLINTON and MARY J all in support of ONE X ONE kids foundation

(festivalinsider.ca) Matt Damon was in Toronto this week for the premiere of THE INFORMANT. It wasn’t Damon’s only duties as he has been coming to Toronto the last few years for his One X One charitable foundation. “Who isn’t interested in trying to improve the lives of children around the world?” mused Damon to the Toronto Star when discussing the important work the OneXOne foundation does. For 2009, Damon’s fundraising events were spread across an entire weekend. Saturday night saw a gala concert at Kool Haus, featuring Mary J. Blige. The next evening was a more intimate fundraising reception at the home of Edward Rogers, Rogers Communications CEO, with former U.S. president Bill Clinton in attendance.

Jennifer’s Body star Megan FOX doesn’t really DO HORROR but thinks THE EXORCIST is most scary

(festivalinsider.ca) Probably the most photographed woman at TIFF this year – MEGAN FOX makes a Toronto Film Festival press conference entrance in support of her film Jennifer’s Body.
Since Jennifer’s Body is in the horror genre, Ms. Fox was asked what horror films scared her growing up. Megan admitted to not really watching much horror. But if she had to pick one film that really frightened her? “The Exorcist” she said.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher grace the TIFF’09 red carpet for THE JONESES

Demi Moore had husband Ashton Kutcher join her at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of Demi’s latest work – The Joneses. The film premiered Sunday afternoon at the Visa Screening Room in the Elgin Theatre. It was Demi and Ashton’s second straight red carpet within twenty-four hours. The night previous the couple tended to red carpet duties in New York City.

A very dapper BEN BARNES at the ROOTS party for the film PASSION PLAY

(festivalinsider.ca) A very dapper looking BEN BARNES attends a pre-screening party at the ROOTS store on Bloor St. The very hot Barnes (fresh off the success of leading The Chronicles of Narnia) is visiting TIFF in support of DORIAN GRAY. Also showing up at the Roots event was Megan FOX and Michael CAINE. The Roots event was actually for a film not playing TIFF, PASSION PLAY – a soon-to-be-released film starring Fox.

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.”

TWO red carpet looks – ONE night for Amanda SEYFRIED at TIFF’09 premieres of AN EDUCATION and JENNIFER’S BODY

(festivalinsider.ca) One of the “it girls” for the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival – Amanda SEYFRIED made not but one, but TWO! red carpet appearances on the opening night of TIFF. Amanda joined boyfriend Dominic Cooper for the premiere of An Education (a film getting Oscar buzz in some circles already) and at the same theatre, four hours later (and to a much more packed carpet of fans and media) Amanda joined Megan Fox and the cast of Jennifer’s Body. Next week, Ms. Seyfried is sure to grace another TIFF red carpet when Canadian writer / director Atom Egoyan’s CHLOE premieres.