They’re still around on paper in 2023, but in reality, will Hollywood’s biggest stars walk the red carpet when the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) kicks off in less than two months?
Nothing is less safe.
Since the actors’ strike on July 14, organizers of TIFF, a festival known for attracting dozens of celebrities to the Queen City each September, have been on guard.
Not only do union members not film during the labor dispute, they also do not engage in promotional activities, which include asking and answering questions from journalists on the red carpets of the world’s largest 7th art festivals.
A first wave of sixty films was announced in Toronto on Monday morning. Names associated with them include Kate Winslet, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett, Michael Keaton, Jessica Chastain, Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake and many others.
Cancellation and Shifts
If the strike lasts through to TIFF, which runs September 7-17, not all of those stars will be in Toronto, which is a disaster for a glamour-based event.
The strike has already begun to disrupt the activities of certain events. In Montreal, Nicolas Cage canceled his attendance at the Fantasia Festival last weekend.
For its part, the Venice Film Festival had to abandon the opening of the film “Challengers”, which also starred the actress Zendaya, since the producers decided to postpone the release until spring 2024.
World premieres in Quebec
In this time of uncertainty, two Quebec productions received great news at the launch of the program. Solo and Happy Days, the new films by Sophie Dupuis and Chloé Robichaud, celebrate their world premiere at TIFF.
“Solo”, starring Théodore Pellerin as a drag queen, will be the subject of a gala presentation. Sophie Dupuis’ third feature film, which also credits the names Félix Maritaud (120bpm) and Anne-Marie Cadieux, is slated to hit theaters in Quebec on September 15, immediately after its screening in the Queen City.
Photo by Bravo Charlie provided by Axia Films
Chloé Robichaud, who is also directing her third feature film of her career, will be in Toronto to unveil Happy Days, starring Sophie Desmarais, who plays a conductor, Sylvain Marcel and Nour Belkhiria. The film will hit theaters on October 20th.
Photo by Laurence Grandbois-Bernard provided by Maison 4/3