Michael Fassbender dazzled fans (and then disappeared) at TIFF’s official launch party

It’s official: TIFF is here. The festival kicked off last night with a soirée at the Lightbox—a fundraiser for their year-round activities—featuring main attraction Michael Fassbender. Guests were treated to cocktails and finger foods (and The Fass’ delectable Irish accent) as he chatted through a highlight reel of his career with TIFF poobah Cameron Bailey. Here’s the skinny on his interview and the rooftop party that followed.

The Stars

Michael Fassbender in a perfectly tailored blue Gucci tux:

Director X—the man behind Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and Rihanna’s “Work” videos—in, well, nothing special:

Kardinal Offishall in a structured, silver space-age vest and matching kicks:

Edmonton R&B crooner Kreesha Turner in a bold cocktail dress:

Canadian actor Eric Johnson (Flash Gordon, Rookie Blue):

The Scene

It was a simple, elegant shindig, where guests feasted on mini lamb shanks, pork belly biscuits and oysters, shucked on the spot. Kardinal Offishall turned the volume up after Fassbender’s interview with a DJ set on the Lightbox’s rooftop bar, before soulful Toronto troubadour Chloe Charles belted out jazzy originals and covers like “Son of a Preacher Man.”

The Gossip

Fassbender gamely sat through clips some some of his performances—Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave—before dishing out some secrets about the life of a star: he prays to dead relatives to help himself cry onscreen, and he met Seth Rogen by throwing a blueberry at him at an awards show. Fans swarmed him as soon as he headed up to the roof. He shuffled around the patio for a half hour before his handlers ferried him away.