Have been attending TIFF since 1983 (first movie was "The Big Chill" with the entire cast in attendance). Many great moments over the years--the children from the cast of the French film The Chorus appearing after the film to sing live...
Or Christopher Plummer‘s dazzling appearance after the screening of 2011’s “Barrymore”, that was hosted by Canadian filmmaker, Atom Egoyan. The audience was filled with Canadian celebrities and Mr. Plummer was very charming during a discussion about a long career that spanned sixty years. He spoke of lessons learned from an actor’s life and his personal connections to the Barrymore family. His anecdotes provided a brief glimpse into his relationships with women and his candid battle with alcohol.
There was also Liza Minelli, standing outside the Elgin theatre where a restored version of her 1972 TV concert film, “Liza with a Z”, was screened in 2005. In an Oscar-worthy gown, she welcomed movie-goers and the press with a flourish and an invitation that we would all have a “simply wonderful time” inside. On stage after the screening, she sang a few snippets of her most memorable songs, fielded personal questions from the audience, and complimented a few of the drag queens at the back of the theatre who were made up to look like their idol. It was weirdly surreal, although the film was a remarkable time capsule of an energetic performance from another era. However, I left the theatre later that night, thinking not so much about Liza, but about Norma Desmond from “Sunset Boulevard”.
Director
Henry Jaglom was another favourite personality from the earlier years of the festival. After a screening of “Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?” he entertained the audience by spinning stories of liquid lunches with
Orson Welles. The two had once worked together on a film. They would work on one final film together, “Someone To Love” just before Welles’ death in 1985. Long into the night, Henry sat perched on the edge of the stage, microphone in hand, talking about Welles’ famous personality, numerous starlets and movie ideas that never got made–it was a fascinating glimpse into the ways of old-time Hollywood.
And I also remember film critic, Roger Ebert. Often sitting alone in the dimly lit balcony section of the now demolished Uptown theatre, I miss his presence at TIFF these last few years. I would see him busy before a film taking notes, but he was always generous to the many movie-goers who interrupted him for a “thumbs up” or an autograph.
There's a lot more to TIFF than watching a film that will eventually be available for $2.99 on all available platforms...