Closing Night Gala Screening&Party
For ten days in September,the Toronto International Film festival consumed the city as "A"List celebrities invaded day after day until it almost felt normal to see Bono from U2 stroll into a party,say hi to some people and then shuffle out before he created too much of a scene.
But almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades so it wasn't normal at all to have Bono walk right by me at the party I was at last night and when he left,the mob scene he created sure didn't make things feel any more normal, that's for sure.
Earlier in the week I think I was mentioning something about all these film festival parties and how most of them kinda sucked or at least they did for me because being at them always made me feel like the party in the VIP room was probably more fun than where I was and if I somehow ended up knowing someone who could get me into the private party in that roped off section at the back,everyone in there always seemed to be preoccupied with the party they were going to next which would be another place I probably couldn't get into.........
......well it turns out that last night I was fortunate enough to be at the right party with the right people and I had a riteous time which was a fantastic way to end my first real Film Festival experience.I've been at TIFF before as most of you know who have been watching the show for a few years but I was never actually invited to any funtions at the festival before! This is the first year I have even been to any of the parties for example.
Last night "Edison" was screened at the Elgin Theatre to close out the festival.After the screening,everyone there is invited to the closing Gala Party and then they roll up the red carpets again until next year.
Now keep in mind,I'm just some schmuck who has a dumb little latenight Canadian Tv show and I was only "in" one of the films at the festival,it wasn't actually my film.So of coarse,I didn't get invited to the big Gala Screening and closing night party,but Chris Nash did,he had a film in the festival.It's just lucky for me that Chris hates all that kind of crap which is why he ended up giving his invitation to me.Chris is a great guy and I can't wait to work with him on his next film but I'll talk about that stuff another time,you guys want to hear about why I had such a great time last night.
This is already becoming too long of a blog to read so I'll cut to the chase here.I had only been at the party for a few minutes when I ran into a friend of mine that I have known for a few years now.Dan recently became a bigtime suit in the movie making business here in Canada.I guess he was always kind of a big cheese but I never really knew that about him.He's a really great guy and I like knowing good people."Dan's good people"that's all I ever really needed to know about him I guess.
................anyways,it turns out that Dan has worked with the producer of the closing night film in the past so they know eachother pretty well and before I know it,I'm being introduced to a major, Major, MAJOR Hollywood player.It was a thrilling experience I will never forget.
Sudenly I find myself hangin out at this private party with a handfull of other people including the cast of the film . Did I mention who was in this film yet?
Kevin Spacey,Morgan Freeman,Justin Timberlake,Dylan McDermott and LL Cool J
Earlier I mentioned that Bono came rolling into this private party and stayed for about two minutes which was pretty cool and it was nice to be introduced to well known actors like Dylan McDermott and it absolutely would have been cool to meet Morgan Freeman who I admire so much as an actor, but he didn't show up for the after party.You know who did though?
Friggin LL Cool J,thats right, LL F'n Cool J........are you kidding me......
"Heels tall,bikini small,she says, she likes, the ocean"..there he was, just kickin back all smiles and having a great time.The guy couldn't have been nicer.He looked sharp and he had more charisma than anyone I have ever met. Seriously,he was awesome!
He walked by us at one point so I pipe up "LL I'm JR,two letters just like you,what do you make of that"? Five minutes later we were all goofin around and laughing and not once did he pretend he had to rush off to be somewhere else even though he really wasn't going anywhere.
That set the tone for the rest of the night for sure and I had a great one.Dan was cool about introducing me to lots of people he knew and it was nice to talk,drink,eat and laugh for a change at one of these parties.Good people = good times I guess.It was a fantastic way to remember my first actual Film Festival experience.I'm glad I don't have to top last night because there is no way I cold do it. I was having so much fun that I didn't even end up going over to say hi to Daryle Sittler who is one of my all time favorite hockey players.Later in the night I was thinking hey,where's #27 but he had left by then.
Aside from last night,there's lots of other stuff that has happened over the last ten days as well that I've been meaning to talk about here in my blog but I didn't always have the time.Maybe what I'll do is make some time on Monday or maybe on Tuesday to reflect on things a little more and then do one last recap of TIFF 2005.Not only are these blogs meant to keep you guy's in the loop with what I may be up to on any given day but it also gives me a chance to sometimes formulate thoughts with regards to whats happening in my life on a week to week basis.I like that.
I always like getting emails from you guy's as well and maybe half the reason some of you send them to me is because you have been reading my blog and you feel like you have a better sense of what's going on with me these days which is very cool.
I use the word cool a lot don't I? Oh well.......I guess I had better rap this up now.
Goin back to Cali.....I don't think so,I'm going to watch Dog The Bounty Hunter.
Later guys,
JR
But almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades so it wasn't normal at all to have Bono walk right by me at the party I was at last night and when he left,the mob scene he created sure didn't make things feel any more normal, that's for sure.
Earlier in the week I think I was mentioning something about all these film festival parties and how most of them kinda sucked or at least they did for me because being at them always made me feel like the party in the VIP room was probably more fun than where I was and if I somehow ended up knowing someone who could get me into the private party in that roped off section at the back,everyone in there always seemed to be preoccupied with the party they were going to next which would be another place I probably couldn't get into.........
......well it turns out that last night I was fortunate enough to be at the right party with the right people and I had a riteous time which was a fantastic way to end my first real Film Festival experience.I've been at TIFF before as most of you know who have been watching the show for a few years but I was never actually invited to any funtions at the festival before! This is the first year I have even been to any of the parties for example.
Last night "Edison" was screened at the Elgin Theatre to close out the festival.After the screening,everyone there is invited to the closing Gala Party and then they roll up the red carpets again until next year.
Now keep in mind,I'm just some schmuck who has a dumb little latenight Canadian Tv show and I was only "in" one of the films at the festival,it wasn't actually my film.So of coarse,I didn't get invited to the big Gala Screening and closing night party,but Chris Nash did,he had a film in the festival.It's just lucky for me that Chris hates all that kind of crap which is why he ended up giving his invitation to me.Chris is a great guy and I can't wait to work with him on his next film but I'll talk about that stuff another time,you guys want to hear about why I had such a great time last night.
This is already becoming too long of a blog to read so I'll cut to the chase here.I had only been at the party for a few minutes when I ran into a friend of mine that I have known for a few years now.Dan recently became a bigtime suit in the movie making business here in Canada.I guess he was always kind of a big cheese but I never really knew that about him.He's a really great guy and I like knowing good people."Dan's good people"that's all I ever really needed to know about him I guess.
................anyways,it turns out that Dan has worked with the producer of the closing night film in the past so they know eachother pretty well and before I know it,I'm being introduced to a major, Major, MAJOR Hollywood player.It was a thrilling experience I will never forget.
Sudenly I find myself hangin out at this private party with a handfull of other people including the cast of the film . Did I mention who was in this film yet?
Kevin Spacey,Morgan Freeman,Justin Timberlake,Dylan McDermott and LL Cool J
Earlier I mentioned that Bono came rolling into this private party and stayed for about two minutes which was pretty cool and it was nice to be introduced to well known actors like Dylan McDermott and it absolutely would have been cool to meet Morgan Freeman who I admire so much as an actor, but he didn't show up for the after party.You know who did though?
Friggin LL Cool J,thats right, LL F'n Cool J........are you kidding me......
"Heels tall,bikini small,she says, she likes, the ocean"..there he was, just kickin back all smiles and having a great time.The guy couldn't have been nicer.He looked sharp and he had more charisma than anyone I have ever met. Seriously,he was awesome!
He walked by us at one point so I pipe up "LL I'm JR,two letters just like you,what do you make of that"? Five minutes later we were all goofin around and laughing and not once did he pretend he had to rush off to be somewhere else even though he really wasn't going anywhere.
That set the tone for the rest of the night for sure and I had a great one.Dan was cool about introducing me to lots of people he knew and it was nice to talk,drink,eat and laugh for a change at one of these parties.Good people = good times I guess.It was a fantastic way to remember my first actual Film Festival experience.I'm glad I don't have to top last night because there is no way I cold do it. I was having so much fun that I didn't even end up going over to say hi to Daryle Sittler who is one of my all time favorite hockey players.Later in the night I was thinking hey,where's #27 but he had left by then.
Aside from last night,there's lots of other stuff that has happened over the last ten days as well that I've been meaning to talk about here in my blog but I didn't always have the time.Maybe what I'll do is make some time on Monday or maybe on Tuesday to reflect on things a little more and then do one last recap of TIFF 2005.Not only are these blogs meant to keep you guy's in the loop with what I may be up to on any given day but it also gives me a chance to sometimes formulate thoughts with regards to whats happening in my life on a week to week basis.I like that.
I always like getting emails from you guy's as well and maybe half the reason some of you send them to me is because you have been reading my blog and you feel like you have a better sense of what's going on with me these days which is very cool.
I use the word cool a lot don't I? Oh well.......I guess I had better rap this up now.
Goin back to Cali.....I don't think so,I'm going to watch Dog The Bounty Hunter.
Later guys,
JR
posted by JR DIGS
at 11:53 PM
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