TIFF PARTY: The annual George Christy luncheon attracted an impeccably turned-out crowd of stars and power brokers
TIFF PARTY: The annual George Christy luncheon attracted an impeccably turned-out crowd of stars and power brokers
By Matthew Hague | September 10, 2012
By Matthew Hague | 09/10/2012
It must be a precondition of being wealthy, famous or otherwise fabulous to look perfectly fresh the morning after a night on the town. Or perhaps the guests at the annual George Christy TIFF cocktail party and luncheon all spent sun up in a vat of Olay, because at noon sharp on Saturday, the A-list was immaculately turned out as they filed into the ballroom of the still unopened Four Seasons Hotel (the official unveil is October 5). Christy himself, who has hosted this event for the last 28 years, greeted guests at the door, looking modern in a suit jacket paired with sneakers. Hilary and Galen Weston (who looked elegant enough to be eating with the Queen, or at least Kate Middleton) mingled with Ben Mulroney, while Ewan McGregor sipped lemonade, posed for phone photos and chatted with Shinan Govani (who, in turn, chatted with just about everyone). Salman Rushdie, Deepa Mehta, Paul Haggis, Atom Egoyan, Suzanne Boyd and FASHION’s Bernadette Morra were also in attendance. But perhaps the event’s most charming guest was Conrad Black, who, despite his recent prison release and ongoing battle to retain his Order of Canada, worked the room with a keen, bright glint in his eye (as opposed to the broken, escaped-from-Oz look one might expect). Indeed, he almost had us convinced he could actually make a comeback to his former soaring status as a newspaper baron.
164921 <em>The Impossible'</em>s Ewan McGregor (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-intro/ tiff12-george-christy-party-intro 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164895 <em>The Impossible'</em>s Ewan McGregor (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-1-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-1.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-1/ tiff12-george-christy-party-1 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164897 Conrad Black (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-3-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-3.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-3/ tiff12-george-christy-party-3 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164896 (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-2.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-2/ tiff12-george-christy-party-2 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164898 <em>Midnight's Children'</em>s Salman Rushdie (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-4-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-4.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-4/ tiff12-george-christy-party-4 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164899 Isadore Sharp, founder and chairman of the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-5.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-5/ tiff12-george-christy-party-5 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164900 Host George Christy (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-6-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-6.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-6/ tiff12-george-christy-party-6 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164901 Editor of <em>Zoomer Magazine</em> Suzanne Boyd (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-7.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-7/ tiff12-george-christy-party-7 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164902 Cinedigm CEO Chris McGurk and wife Jamie (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-8.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-8/ tiff12-george-christy-party-8 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164903 Jessica and Ben Mulroney (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-9.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-9/ tiff12-george-christy-party-9 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164904 <em>Show Stopper: The Theatrical Life of Garth Drabinsky</em> director Barry Avrich (left) and actor Rex Reed (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-10/ tiff12-george-christy-party-10 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164905 From left: Four Seasons' Laura Fairweather, <em>Hello! Canada'</em>s Lisa Tant and NKPR president Natasha Koifman (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-11/ tiff12-george-christy-party-11 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164906 Filmmakers Paul Haggis, Atom Egoyan and Norman Jewison (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-12/ tiff12-george-christy-party-12 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164907 Filmmaker Paul Haggis (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-13/ tiff12-george-christy-party-13 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164908 Filmmaker Atom Egoyan (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-14/ tiff12-george-christy-party-14 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164909 <em>Toronto Life</em> publisher David Hamilton and Julia Bass (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-15/ tiff12-george-christy-party-15 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164910 <em>Elle Canada'</em>s Noreen Flanagan (left) and Jill Dunn (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-16/ tiff12-george-christy-party-16 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164911 Four Seasons' Marc Dorfman (left) and Galen and Hilary Weston (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-17-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-17.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-17/ tiff12-george-christy-party-17 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164912 Ivan Fecan (left) and Nota Bene co-owner Yannick Bigourdan (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-18-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-18.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-18/ tiff12-george-christy-party-18 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164913 Actor Dion Johnstone and <em>Antiviral'</em>s Lisa Berry (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-19-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-19.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-19/ tiff12-george-christy-party-19 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164914 Ivan Fecan and Sandra Faire (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-20-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-20.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-20/ tiff12-george-christy-party-20 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164915 Four Seasons' Dimitrios Zarikos with Niki and Vivian Zarikos (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-21-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-21.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-21.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-21/ tiff12-george-christy-party-21 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164916 Four Seasons' head concierge Lido Alim (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-22-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-22.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-22.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-22/ tiff12-george-christy-party-22 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164917 (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-23-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-23.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-23.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-23/ tiff12-george-christy-party-23 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164918 Roots' Raymond Perkins (right) and 199 Corbo's Mayila Dolikon (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-24-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-24.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-24.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-24/ tiff12-george-christy-party-24 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164919 (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-25-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-25.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-25.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-25/ tiff12-george-christy-party-25 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)
164920 (Image: Erin Simkin) TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon TIFF PARTY: George Christy Luncheon https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-26-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-26.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-george-christy-party-26.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-george-christy-party/slide/tiff12-george-christy-party-26/ tiff12-george-christy-party-26 0 0
(Image: Erin Simkin)