TIFF PARTY: Deepa Mehta, Rob Stewart and Ben Mulroney host the annual Canadian Film Centre shindig at the Spoke Club
The annual Canadian Film Centre party at the Spoke Club is always, and fittingly, pretty Canadian. Hosted by Ben Mulroney and filmmakers Deepa Mehta and Rob Stewart, the party took place on the eve of TIFF rather than during the festival proper. Sure, that meant the Keiras and Jakes of the world had yet to arrive—though stars are starting to descend on the city today—but the homegrown actors, directors, producers and others involved in the country’s film community came by to show their support (A-listers like Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams and Sarah Gadon were sadly not in attendance).
We spotted Emily Hampshire hanging with My Awkward Sexual Adventure co-star Jonas Chernick. Hampshire was aghast when she forgot the date of the premiere, worried that she had hair and makeup scheduled for next Friday when the film actually shows on Tuesday, September 11 (“A day known for nothing else!” joked Chernick). The pair were in high spirits, though a peckish Jonas (“Spelled like the Jonas brothers”, he kidded) wanted to head off to check out the food situation. While scavenging for a bite, the two ran into filmmaker Matt Austin Sadowski, who’s famous for his John Hughes documentary and is in Toronto for his TIFF submission, The Tape. Sharkwater director Stewart chatted with guests about his latest work, Revolution, which, judging by the conversation, has something to do with cuttlefish (he told hangers-on: “They change colour to communicate. They’re truly spectacular animals”). Most guests left by 10:30—early for a TIFF party—but as one elevator companion put it, “It’s a school night.” Everyone has to save their energy for the weekend to come.
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