TIFF PHOTO GALLERY: Hugh Dillon, a Bono lookalike and Canada’s pretty young things in waiting on the red carpet for the official TIFF opening night party

By Lia Grainger | September 9, 2011

By Lia Grainger | 09/09/2011

A dead ringer for U2’s lead singer (with a little more chest hair on display)

Whispers of “Bono” filled the air at the red carpet outside the TIFF opening night bash at a spotlit Liberty Grand. Would he show? A hunky cop in the know told us yes. In the meantime, Flashpoint star Hugh Dillon arrived in a T-shirt and blazer, in sharp contrast to crooner Matt Dusk, who couldn’t have been more done up in head-to-toe white. Caroline Rhea and former Dragon’s Den dragon Brett Wilson took their time hamming it up for the cameras (they even kissed—on the lips!). Then it was time for the contingent of TIFF rising stars, Canada’s pretty young things in waiting: Sarah Allen, Katie Boland, Sarah Gadon and Keon Mohajeri. Can they act? Who knows, but they sure as heck looked fabulous. Click through to see the gallery.

It was Scarborough-born rapper Kardinal Offishall who had to have been best dressed in an ash-grey suit with eye-popping orange highlights. The lady on Canadian director Robert Lieberman’s arm was wearing a very, uh, distracting dress, and artist Mr. Brainwash of Exit Through the Gift Shop fame made an unexplained yet thoroughly amusing appearance. French director Michel Hazanavicius looked hot as a beardo, with actor and countryman Jean Dujardin by his side. Republic of Doyle’s Allan Hawco rocked the jeans and blazer look, and fellow CBCer Erin Karpluk of Being Erica showed some very toned leg. Of course, Jian Gomeshi was also there (as if you had to ask). Elisabeth Shue and director Davis Guggenheim breezed past the cameras in a matter of seconds, likely burned out from their turn on the carpet at the opening of From the Sky Down earlier that evening. And where was Bono? “They brought him in the back,” whispered our beefy cop friend with an apologetic sigh. “He’s on the balcony.” We scampered off to take a look.