When you’re this big, they call you Weinstein (and no, that’s not a fat joke). Harvey Weinstein, former head of Miramax and likely the most powerful man at TIFF, held court (once again) on Sunday night at the celebrity hotspot for this year’s festival. Having spied on him for three days now, we can report what might be our favourite TIFF ritual: the deferential Weinstein greeting. Read on for the scoop in our fourth series of dispatches from Soho House.
All the stars do it. Some sit and chat with Weinstein ( Dustin Hoffman engaged him in conversation for a few minutes), while others, like Ewan McGregor, simply stop by to pay their respects, as if Weinstein is the Pope and they’re there to kiss his ring.
Hoffman, by the way, was at Soho to attend the after-party for his directorial debut, Quartet , which stars Dame Maggie Smith and Billy Connolly. (Nothing against Jennifer Lawrence and Kristen Stewart, but nice to know not all movies require a barely pubescent starlet to get financing).
We spied the hilarious Connolly out back enjoying a cigar. Discussing the differences of having an older fan base, he joked that where women had, perhaps, once thrown underpants on stage, “now they throw Depends.”
On the other side of the age spectrum, Zac Efron popped in to celebrate his new movie At Any Price, as did his co-star Dennis Quaid. Rounding out the talent tally were Naomi Watts, William H. Macy, Helen Hunt, John Hawkes, Saoirse Ronan, Gael Garcia Bernal, Stephen Dorff and Nina Dobrev.
164973 <em>The Impossible’</em>s Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts and director Juan Antonio Bayona (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-intro/ tiff12-soho-party-intro 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164949 <em>No’</em>s Gael Garcia Bernal and Ewan McGregor (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-1-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-1.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-1/ tiff12-soho-party-1 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164952 Ewan McGregor and Grey Goose brand ambassador Dimi Lezinska (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-2.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-2/ tiff12-soho-party-2 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164953 <em>Quartet’</em>s Dustin Hoffman and Dame Maggie Smith (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-3-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-3.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-3/ tiff12-soho-party-3 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164954 <em>Quartet’</em>s Dustin Hoffman and Pauline Collins (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-4-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-4.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-4/ tiff12-soho-party-4 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164955 Dustin Hoffman, Billy Connolly, Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay, all of <em>Quartet</em> (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-5.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-5/ tiff12-soho-party-5 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164956 Dimi Lezinska and Dustin Hoffman (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-6-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-6.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-6/ tiff12-soho-party-6 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164957 Model Petra Nemcova (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-7.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-7/ tiff12-soho-party-7 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164958 Harvey Weinstein with Dustin Hoffman (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-8.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-8/ tiff12-soho-party-8 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164959 Dustin Hoffman, Pauline Collins, Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly and Tom Courtenay (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-9.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-9/ tiff12-soho-party-9 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164960 Naomi Watts with guests (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-10/ tiff12-soho-party-10 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164961 IMDB.com managing editor Keith Simanton and Dustin Hoffman (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-11/ tiff12-soho-party-11 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164962 Pauline Collins with Lisa and Jake Hoffman, Dustin’s wife and son (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-12/ tiff12-soho-party-12 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164963 Producer Brett Ratner and Keith Simanton (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-13.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-13/ tiff12-soho-party-13 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164964 Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay (Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-14.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-14/ tiff12-soho-party-14 0 0
(Image: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images Entertainment)
164965 Dennis Quaid and director Ramin Bahrani of <em>At Any Price</em> (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-15.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-15/ tiff12-soho-party-15 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164966 <em>At Any Price’</em>s Maika Monroe (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-16.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-16/ tiff12-soho-party-16 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164967 Dimi Lezinska and Juan Antonio Bayona (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-17-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-17.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-17/ tiff12-soho-party-17 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164968 Stephen Woolley, producer of <em>Byzantium, Midnight’s Children</em> and <em>Great Expectations,</em> with <em>Byzantium</em> and <em>Antiviral’</em>s Caleb Landry Jones (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-18-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-18.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-18/ tiff12-soho-party-18 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164969 Helen Hunt and William H. Macy of <em>The Sessions</em> (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-19-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-19.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-19/ tiff12-soho-party-19 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164970 <em>Byzantium’</em>s Gemma Arterton (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-20-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-20.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-20/ tiff12-soho-party-20 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164971 <em>Byzantium’</em>s Saoirse Ronan (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-21-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-21.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-21.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-21/ tiff12-soho-party-21 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
164972 Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton (Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four TIFF PARTY: Soho House, Day Four https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-22-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-22.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-soho-party-22.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-soho-house-day-four-party/slide/tiff12-soho-party-22/ tiff12-soho-party-22 0 0
(Image: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images Entertainment)
People more powerful than Harvey Weinstein — and there are many considering his dismal track record over the past decade — don’t NEED to come to TIFF and throw parties. Most studio heads don’t need to come to TIFF at all. They send their lackeys. Weinstein only seems like an elite to writers who don’t unschooled about the bigger picture.