FESTIVAL INSIDER » The Starlets

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

Richard Budman — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 05:32:50 +0000

Couldn’t let our BEST DRESSED LIST end without a mention of at least one gentleman. ED HARRIS looked very dapper and cool on arrival for his premiere.

MALIN AKERMAN and RYAN PHILLIPPE premiere “The Bang Bang Club” at Roy Thomson Hall Gala in Toronto

Richard Budman — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:22:31 +0000

photos: Malin Akerman and Ryan Phillippe arrive for Gala Toronto Film Festival premiere of “The Bang Bang Club” at Roy Thomson Hall (September 15, 2010 / George Pimentel photos)

While covering TIFF tends to occupy the majority of a Festival Insider’s schedule – leaving little time for actually seeing any films. If this insider finds time for one this festival – it will be The Bang Bang Club. It’s based on the true story of four photojournalists who set out to capture the final days of apartheid in South Africa.

MEGAN FOX makes a return trip to the Toronto International Film Festival for the red carpet premiere of PASSION PLAY

Richard Budman — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 14:17:02 +0000

photos: The beautiful MEGAN FOX makes a return trip to the Ryerson theatre red carpet for the 2010 Toronto Film Festival premiere of “Passion Play.” It was exactly one year earlier that Fox walked the Ryerson red carpet when “Jennifer’s Body” made a 2009 TIFF premiere. (George Pimentel photos)

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

WHIP IT stars MARCIA GAY HARDEN is one very proud mother to EULALA SCHEEL at Toronto Roller Derby exhibition and red carpet

Richard Budman — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:19:02 +0000

(festivalinsider.ca) There were some proud parents on display during TIFF ’09. Ivan and Jason Reitman were at the Toronto festival to support multiple movies. Michael Moore’s father was beaming on the Capitalism red carpet. And Oscar and Tony award winning actress Marcia Gay Harden and her daughter Eulala Scheel joined her WHIP IT cast at TIFF. Both have roles in the Drew Barrymore directed film.

CAREY MULLIGAN earning rave reviews in Toronto premiering AN EDUCATION – coming to America next in Wall Street 2 with Shia Lebouef

Richard Budman — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:23:50 +0000

Your going to be hearing a lot more about British up-and-coming actress Carey Mulligan in the next year. Mulligan has a breakout role in AN EDUCATION, playing to rave reviews at TIFF and other film festivals. Mulligan’s stay in Toronto for the films premiere was a brief one. She had to get back to the New York set of Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps acting opposite Shia Lebouef in the Oliver Stone directed sequel to the eighties hit. It will be Carey’s first big role in an American movie. If that doesn’t endear her to North American audiences, Ms. Mulligan is sure to appear in the gossip mags as she is rumored to be dating her Wall Street co-star Lebouef.

Bollywood star PRIYANKA CHOPRA arrives in Toronto for TIFF premiere of What’s Your Rashee?

Richard Budman — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:23:34 +0000

(festivalinsider.ca) Top Bollywood actress PRIYANKA CHOPRA arrived at the Toronto International Film Festival for a day of press to talk about What’s Your Rashee? The film also features HARMAN BAWEJA in the lead role of someone who returns home to India and has to find a bride within 12 choices of women presented (all played by Chopra.) On arrival to the press conference, Ms. Chopra greeted a handful of fans gathered and signed autographs.

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

Richard Budman — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:41:32 +0000

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

Richard Budman — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:28:15 +0000

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?

The TIFF Celebs DO CARE about the photos taken of them – DREW BARRYMORE & ELLEN PAGE in Toronto for WHIP IT red carpet premiere

Richard Budman — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:55:33 +0000

DREW BARRYMORE and her WHIP IT star ELLEN PAGE enjoyed the photos just taken of them at a WHIP IT pre-party during the Toronto International Film Festival. The duo were curious how some of the shots they were posing for turned out. Barrymore then turned to one TIFF photographer for a sneak peek. The film marks Drew’s directorial debut and has played to good reviews and an enthusiastic response from Toronto audiences.