Midnight dance party with Sook-Yin Lee and Buck 65 on Ossington

Maybe it’s lack of hoops to jump through or three-hour waiting period to secure a viewing location, but parties thrown by Toronto filmmakers are always among the most enjoyable at TIFF. Last night’s Year of the Carnivore bash hosted by director and writer Sook-Yin Lee felt more like a wrap party than a calculated industry event. Set inside Rolly’s Garage—a small car repair shop-cum-gallery—and spilling on to its front steps, the open bar and swag table containing CDs, Crystal Castle T-shirts and Come As You Are gift packs created icebreakers.

In fact, just before Carnivore actor Mark Rendall and Buck 65 performed their sets, Sook-Yin was giving away Come As You Are gift baskets (leopard print dildos!) to the first person to come to the stage to tell a personal tale about their babysitting misadventures.

Buck 65’s story? “I was once babysitting a kid and he said he couldn’t sleep unless his mom rubbed his back. I felt weird about rubbing his back so I went to the kitchen and grabbed a ladle. I don’t need the gift basket but, in short, I ladled a boy’s back for 30 minutes so he could sleep.”

Sook-Yin sang a few a cappella tunes in Japanese and a folksy tune about milking cows before Buck 65 performed a song from Year of the Carnivore and a few of his head-bopping hits. Afterward, it became a giant house party as the DJ blasts the hits and everyone did a combination of mingling and dancing.

“More cock rings to give away as the night goes on,” announced Sook-Yin. How often do you hear that in Yorkville?