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Amsterdam, Beirut, Doha, Ghent, Paris, Photography, Switzerland, Toronto

Chérie City: 2011 In Pictures

December 30, 2011 by cheriecity

2011 has been a wonderful year that has seen hundreds of new discoveries – from hidden gems on my doorstep in east London to experiencing the Middle East and attending the Toronto International Film Festival for the first time.

Thank you for reading and supporting and for the countless new friendships through blogging. I hope some of the stories on Chérie City in 2011 have inspired travels or led you to some good dinners!

Here are some favourite moments from the 2011…

Fireworks over the harbour from the balcony at Four Seasons Beirut, Lebanon

Toronto’s most eccentric neighbourhood, Kensington Market

Skiing with Papa Chéri in the Swiss urban ski resort of LAAX

An emotional reminder of former troubled times – Places de Martyrs, Beirut

Ganda ham tasting in Ghent, Belgium

Amsterdam’s beautiful, historical Jordaan district

The holy temple for cake-lovers, La Pâtisserie des Rêves, Left Bank, Paris

The spectacular Museum of Islamic Arts – Doha, Qatar

Here’s to a prosperous and joyful 2012!!

Restaurants, Toronto

A Great Dinner at Scarpetta, Thompson Toronto

December 23, 2011 by cheriecity

My last night in town for Toronto International Film Festival 2011 was seen out in style with a dinner at Scarpetta, the contemporary Italian restaurant overseen by Scott Conant at Thompson Toronto.

Located in downtown King West, Scarpetta Toronto is the only Canadian outpost of the much-loved original restaurant in Chelsea, Manhattan (others include Miami, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas).

During TIFF, Scarpetta is the place to be seen and this year it hosted the Vanity Fair party with a guest list including Bono, George Clooney, Kirsten Dunst, Elizabeth Olsen, James Franco and many more.

Scarpetta was every bit as slick as I expected – dark contemporary interiors bathed in a cool blue light with a line of s-shaped booths, capably managed by a team of hip, young and friendly staff.

It was quiet when I visited, presumably as TIFF stars and entourages were being herded around a succession of parties across town. As I was solo for the end part of my trip, I was happy to enjoy my meal in a relaxed atmosphere and reflect on the incredible few days I’d spent in Toronto.

I started with a refreshing cocktail called The Padovano – a blend of Absolut Berri Acai vodka, limoncello, elderflower, simple syrup, fresh lime, club soda and a handful of blueberries.

Before visiting, I read glowing reports about Scarpetta’s signature Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil, so I skipped appetisers and went straight for the pasta. A week of foodie indulgence (Paris and Toronto back to back) got the better of me and I was ready for some uncomplicated comfort food, but the bread basket at Scarpetta was worth almost like an appetiser in itself.

It was filled with exquisite artisan breads, including a delectable meat and cheese stromboli, served with a trio of caponata, mascarpone butter and citrus-infused olive oil.

The Spaghetti arrived in the form of a little nest, which was hiding a generous amount of pasta. The pasta was thick, slightly square-shaped and cooked al dente. It was lightly covered in a fresh and rich sauce with a few chunks of slow-roasted Roma tomato and roughly torn basil.

The spaghetti at Scarpetta really is worth raving about – a simple, clean classic done exceptionally well.

The girls in my press group told me I had to try the salted caramel dessert that they’d all tried earlier in the week, so I ordered the Caramel Budino with Peanut Wafers. Also spotted on the menu at 360 at the CN Tower, budinos seem to be a new dessert trend in Toronto!

The budino was served in a verrine and had a base of delicious, thick caramel cream and was topped with a layer of smooth, liquid caramel and a scoop of light mascarpone. The peanut wafers were crunchy and dense and covered in dark chocolate with flakes of sea salt on top.

It was a very decadent dessert, almost like a luxurious de-constructed Snickers bar and the sweetness brings a good sugar hit, especially if you’re moving on to the Thompson bar after dinner.

Stylish, seductive and the epitome of ‘downtown cool’, Scarpetta marries exceptional food with meticulous attention to detail. It’s an absolute must for non-stateside foodies to get a taste of Scott Conant’s magic.

Chérie City was a guest of Scarpetta at Thompson Toronto

Photos by Chérie City and Scarpetta

Cafes, Patisserie, Toronto

The Amazing NADÈGE Patisserie in Toronto

September 25, 2011 by cheriecity

There was one place that was top of my ‘Toronto to do list’ – NADÈGE Patisserie in on Queen Street West. Luckily, I came across NADÈGE, a glistening white beacon of decadence, as I was walking back towards the centre of town after my art tour of West Queen West with Betty Ann Jordan.

Run by Nadège Nourian (a fourth generation pastry chef born in Lyon, France) and her native Torontonian partner Morgan McHugh, NADÈGE draws in the crowds with its high-end pastries, gourmet sandwiches, Kusmi Tea and bijou macarons.

A world away from the gilded opulence of Ladurée, Nadège Patisserie is like a pastry laboratory, all sleek and shiny, designed in clinical white with flashes of hot pink and the cool geometric logo.

Nadège studied at an esteemed pastry school in Normandy and has worked alongside top chefs in restaurants around the world, including Michelin star restaurant Hakkasan in London, before setting up her dream patisserie in Toronto.

The cakes and tarts are particularly impressive, like little works of art. My favourite was the cosmic-looking angel cake with mini macarons resembling meteors that crashed into the cake (pictured below).

NADÈGE is also the perfect place to find sweet gifts, as you can buy adorable little tubs of chocolate-dipped madeleines, marshmallows, biscuits and chocolate tablets.

On my last day in Toronto, I returned to NADÈGE and spent my last few Canadian bucks on three macarons – Cassis, Chocolate Orange and Salted Caramel.

They really were excellent and lived up to the hype. The cassis macaron was bursting with thick, gooey fruit paste and the chocolate orange macaron was a vibrant orange colour and was filled with a smooth, rich, dark ganache.

The Salted Caramel macaron wouldn’t please those who complain that Laduree macarons are too sweet, as it was a full-on sugar assault, but a delightful one, at that!

I would have liked to have sat on the patio to soak up the last of the Toronto sun with my macarons and a pot of Kusmi tea, but lunch at Luma was calling, so I saved my macarons to perk up my airport waiting experience.

The second outpost of NADÈGE is in Rosendale, on Yonge Street between downtown and uptown, so you can pick up some macarons without going out west.

NADÈGE Patisserie is a must for foodies visiting Toronto and I just hope that Nadège might remember us here in London and open a UK store. Bring the macarons and we’ll bring the crowds!

All photos by Chérie City.

Films, Toronto

TIFF 2011: Elles by Malgorzata Szumowska

September 24, 2011 by cheriecity

During my short time at Toronto International Film Festival 2011, I was drawn to the story of student ‘sponsoring’ in Polish director Malgoska Szumowska’s Elles, starring Juliette Binoche.

Parisian upper middle-class journalist Anne (Juliette Binoche) is researching an article for ELLE concerning female students who sell their bodies to pay for their education and a comfortable lifestyle.

For her story, Anne persuades two seemingly self-assured young students – the candid Alicja (Joanna Kulig) and a more discreet Lola, whose real name is Charlotte (Anaïs Demoustier) – to speak about their experiences of being ‘sponsored’ through their studies.

The film see Anne preparing a dinner for her husband’s boss, transcribing the interviews for her story and having flashbacks to her time spent with the girls.

At first Anne is emotionally removed and somewhat judgemental of their casual sexual encounters and her feminist sensibilities force her to view their trysts as humiliating and misplaced empowerment. As the story develops, we see Anne empathise with Alicja and Lola and begin to understand their motivations.

There are moments when OCD-prone Anne lets her guard down and gets drunk on vodka and makes a sloppy supper of pasta with Alicja in her apartment. Another is when she gets drawn into Charlotte’s giddy excitement of hearing one of john’s phone messages.

Szumowska and her female co-writer Tine Byrckel have the courage to suggest that the girls feel a slight rush of excitement to know that they’re desired by men, particularly those old enough to be their fathers.

However, it doesn’t gloss over the fact that they were drawn into prostitution through desperation and circumstance. As a new immigrant in Paris, everything goes wrong for Alicja and she can’t fall back on her family or admit defeat. For Charlotte, her family’s poverty and her dead-end job don’t add up to a university education or even enough money to live on.

The deeper Anne gets involved in their lives, she begins to question her own bourgeois lifestyle and her supposedly ‘respectable’ family’s flaws. She has fractured relationships with her emotionally-absent husband, pot-smoking teenage son and PlayStation-addicted younger son. The final scene of the dinner party sees her own personal act of freedom and rebellion, breaking out of her conservative mould.

Alicja and Charlotte’s seemingly breezy sidelines are marred by the shame of Alicja’s mother discovering her profession, Charlotte’s difficulty in keeping her second life a secret and most imporantly, Charlotte’s encounters with brutal sexual abuse.

This is a vital element of the film, as it avoids idealising student prostitution, although one could argue that uptight journalist Anne may temporarily live vicariously through the girls. Indeed, the all-female team are sensitive to this and show the reality that while they are not the stereotypical idea of a prostitute, being pimped or forced into selling their bodies on street corners or brothels, there are still dangerous, damaging consequences.

Elles is sure to divide opinion on student prostitution, but Malgoska Szumowska tackles the subject in a human, non-judgemental way that makes us question just how much exploitation we face in our own lives and what exactly is socially acceptable. Juliette Binoche was made for the role and while it’s not likely to be one of her most critically acclaimed performances, it’s clearly a personal project that has great significance.

For more film news, read my reviews of:

Art, Hotels, Shopping, Stores, Toronto

West Queen West: A Tour of Toronto’s New Art Quarter

September 23, 2011 by cheriecity

Every city has its up-and-coming art district, but very few can live up to the vibrant, energetic spirit of Toronto’s West Queen West. I met with Betty Ann Jordan, an arts journalist and owner of Art InSite for a tour of most up-and-coming neighbourhood.

Betty Ann is quite the doyenne of the Toronto art and design scene and she knows literally every young creative and entrepreneur on the west side. Betty Ann was our passport for drawing out gossip and tales about the area, so you’re sure to find out some interesting facts that you’d never usually be privy to.

We started our tour at the Gladstone Hotel, a boutique art hotel steeped in history. Each of the 37 rooms has been individually designed by a local artist and a whole floor has been made into a dedicated gallery space.

During our visit, the exhibition featured chairs customised by big-name Canadian artists and designers that were to be auctioned off. The team at the Gladstone is made up of artists and curators who are in charge of the cultural programme and organise their own art happenings around the city.

In the daytime, local creatives come and drink coffee in the delightful Gladstone Cafe and the newly re-opened Melody Bar retains its historical legacy while offering cockails and good food.

Then it was on to The Drake Hotel, Queen West’s second boutique art hotel with a slightly cooler buzz than the Gladstone. The Drake Hotel is the place to be seen in Queen West, whether it’s catching up with friends over a monster brunch of Southern Fried Chicken with Waffles or catching some sun on the Sky Yard roof patio with a glass of Rosemary Lemonade from their grown-up Lemonade Stand.

The uber-cool dining room hosts a series of pop up restaurants based on their favourite movies and countries. When I visited, the theme was Chinatown circa 1940s L.A with a decadent Chinese menu designed by chef Anthony Rose.

The rooms are modern, slick and beautifully designed and the narrow corridors lend to daydreaming about the hotel’s illustrious past as a former brothel. The Drake also has full-time art curators, so you can expect lots of fun surprises and intriguing artwork scattered around the hotel.

Next door is the Drake General Store, a hip reinvention of the traditional hotel gift shop filled with cool design pieces and kitsch sourced from around the world and an art wall featuring the work of up and coming artists from Toronto.

Another Betty Ann insider secret was the graffiti art on the back streets directly behind, which was commissioned by the Drake Hotel.

We visited some wonderful art galleries and boutiques along Queen Street West and Betty Ann took us up Ossington Avenue, an up-and-coming street that is making a name for itself away from the increasingly high rent and condos of Queen West.

Read the Chérie City and Betty Ann Jordan guide to the best of West Queen West…

A2ZANE – The handsome and charming Zane was a handbag specialist at Canadian department store Holt Renfrew before setting up his own Queen Street West boutique, so this guy really knows his leather. He was the first to bring The Cambridge Satchel Company to Toronto and stocks niche brands such as Rebecca Minkoff, Juma, Matt & Nat and Tila March.

Chasse Gardée – Stylist Daniela Bosco’s industrial-chic boutique is the place to find womenwear and shoes by niche designers and indie labels. Brands include Swedish Hasbeens, Kelsi Dagger, Rokin, Finsk, Karen Walker and cool NYC label A Détacher.

Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Arts Projects – Focusing on artwork with a narrative, Katharine Mulherin’s three showcase galleries host exhibitions by emerging and mid-career Canadian and international artists. We saw a fantastic exhibition by Robert Hengeveld concerned with the beauty of artificial nature.

Stephen Bulger Gallery – A chic photography gallery with a private screening room and a petite cafe. Showing during our visit was the 60th anniversary exhibition of Ruth Orkin’s American Girl in Italy.

Sweaty Betty’s – Drew Barrymore ditched her after-party to drink with friends at this hole in the wall bar and patio that overnight became the place to be. They don’t do cocktails, period. Ask for anything more demanding than a whiskey or a beer and you’ll be shown the way to The Drake!

Thieves Boutique – Sonja den Elzen’s sustainable collections using natural materials and dyes are seriously covetable without compromise. Other brand stocked include Heartfelt, Zuzanium and Heidi Ackerman (no, not a Haider Ackerman typo).

If you’re coming to Toronto, plan a weekend visit to West Queen West and starting with a brunch on the patio at The Drake or lunch at Union on Ossington. Then stroll down Queen Street West, visiting the boutiques and galleries, back into the centre of town.

…and you absolutely MUST book a tour with Betty Ann Jordan!

For more info, visit: www.seetorontonow.com and http://artinsite.net

Chérie City was a guest of Tourism Toronto and Kuoni.

Films, Toronto

TIFF 2011: W.E, Madonna

September 21, 2011 by cheriecity

Madonna’s creative endeavours always attract more criticism than most crossover artists, towards which she has undoubtedly grown a thick skin, but her ambitions for W.E are particularly high.

W.E is Madonna’s labour of love – a tribute to her life-long idol, the controversial socialite who clawed her way up the social ladder with vigour, not totally unlike the director herself.

Set in New York in 1998, the story revolves around Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish), a Sotheby’s employee married to an award-winning psychiatrist, who persuades her to quit her job for the domestic life and trying for a baby.

Wally’s obsession with Wallace Simpson (Andrea Riseborough) grows more intense, much to the annoyance of her absent husband, when Sotheby’s holds a series of auctions, selling the Duchess of Windsor’s possessions. As Wally, conveniently named after her heroine, daydreams, we are drawn into the world of the formidable social climber and eventual fashion icon Wallace Simpson and her scandalous third marriage to Edward, the next king of England.

Wally develops a close friendship with a Russian security guard at the gallery, who indulges her fantasy with after-hours secret viewings, and soon the world of Wallace Simpson becomes an escape as her life crumbles around her.

One of the strengths of W.E is that it’s a highly styled visual treat. The costumes are exquisite, especially the evening gowns worn by Wallace Simpson, who had a penchant for Mainbocher and Schiaparelli. Galliano, Issa, Cartier and Stephen Jones contributed to Wallace’s lavish wardrobe, under the direction of Arianne Philips, a long-time Madonna collaborator.

The reverence of the film was momentarily suspended with some lighter, humorous scenes. Edward spiked his snoozing guests drinks with benzoin, which had them raising the skirt levels and pogo-ing to the Sex Pistols (a reference to Sofia Coppola’s Marie-Antoinette, perhaps).

One glaring problem with the film is Madonna’s heavy-handedness with presenting the increasingly parallel lives of Wally and Wallace. At certain points in the film, Wallace appears in a vision and speaks to Wally, sometimes mockingly, and at other times for comfort. The ridiculousness of it almost compromised the subtlety of the film.

The parallels between Madonna and Wallace Simpson are glaringly apparent and it’s no coincidence that W.E was made at this point in her life. Both strong, sassy American women, they could command a room and bring a bit of brash fun to the upper echelons of society. As faux-geezer Guy Richie hushes his royal connections, you could say that they both married into British aristocracy and questioned their true place there.

W.E has some historical inconsistencies and it was at times shaky, but it’s a real visual gem and most enjoyable to watch. Madonna’s dedication to W.E, from the costumes to the ever-changing cast is admirable and while it needs to be reigned in at certain points, it’s a film to be proud of.

Films, Toronto

TIFF 2011: Beloved by Christophe Honoré

September 18, 2011 by cheriecity

My favourite moment of Toronto International Film Festival 2011 was the gala screening of Christophe Honoré’s Beloved, with an exclusive presentation by Honoré and the last-minute addition of Louis Garrel. Christophe Honoré spoke about making the film and lovable, raffish Louis cracked jokes throughout (thank you Catherine and Chiara for being ‘unavailable’).

In tribute to the anniversary of the 9/11 attack, a theme that crops up in Beloved, a poignant short documentary about TIFF, which was in full swing at the time of the horrors. It was inspirational and moving and was fitting for the film.

Refusing to let the legacy of French musicals be killed off by modern cynicism, Christophe Honoré revisits the genre with Beloved (Les Bien Aimés), his last musical offering being Love Songs (Les Chansons d’Amour) in 2007.

For many, it will come as no surprise that Beloved features the Honoré Dream Team of Ludivine Saigner, Louis Garrel and Chiara Mastroianni, with the stellar additions of Catherine Deneuve, Milos Forman and Paul Schneider.

The film begins in glorious 1960s colour (think Jacques Demy’s archetypal musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) when Madeleine’s (Catherine Deneuve) life changes forever when she steals a pair of Roger Vivier shoes from the Paris boutique.

Madeleine stumbles into a second career of turning tricks and falls in love with her john, Jaronil (Rasha Bukvic), a Czech medical student. He takes his new bride back to bleak Prague, but his infidelity and coldness breaks up their marriage and Madeleine flees back to Paris. In search of a more stable existence, she marries a French Gendarme, however Jaronil never leaves her life completely.

Flash forward a few decades and the focus is on Madeleine’s free spirited daughter Vera, who works as a teacher (a much tamer career than her mother’s) but is constantly searching for something more in life. It’s the late-90s and Vera visits London with her friend (Louis Garrel) and one-time lover Clément.

At an underground gig, Vera becomes mesmerised by Henderson, the American drummer in a rock band on tour, who turns out to be gay. Thus ensues some post-modern confused as they later share a passionate fumble in the public toilets, overheard by Clément, who lets out his suppressed emotions and beats up Henderson.

Later in the film, Vera flies to New York to further complicate her now absent relationship with Henderson but her plane is diverted to Montreal, luckily escaping the tragedy of 9/11. Add to this Vera’s desire for motherhood, the looming shadow of AIDS, a disastrous threesome, reckless sexual behaviour and a complete emotional breakdown – serious stuff for a musical, you might think!

I couldn’t help finding the relationship between Vera and Henderson slightly unconvincing, but hey, some people do have love lives as tangled and messy as this, and it really drives home Honoré’s point that life in the 21st century can be much more difficult than that in the 1960s.

More ambitious, grown-up and sombre than Love Songs, Beloved is stylish and at times beautiful, leading on from ‘Parisian cool’ to a more global dialogue. The first narrative is more enjoyable to watch, but there are heart-warming, comedic moments later on, such as when Vera comes home to find Madeleine and Jaronil in bed.

Honoré reunited with Love Songs composer Alex Beaupain and the well-crafter, emotive music is trademark Honoré.

I walked out of the film feeling emotionally overwhelmed and drained by the melancholy conclusion, but Madeleine’s theme ‘Je peux vivre sans t’aimer’ never left my head for the rest of TIFF11, like ‘I will wait for you’ from Jacque Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and I was later skipping around Toronto, enchanted by another Honoré classic.

Hotels, Toronto

A Great Stay at Fairmont Royal York Toronto

September 17, 2011 by cheriecity

The Fairmont Royal York in the heart of downtown Toronto is a buzzing hub of activity during TIFF – Toronto International Film Festival. Actors, film-makers, agents and press rub shoulders in the elegant lobby and the conference rooms are often booked for interviews and industry events.

The Fairmont Royal York was the glamorous base for TIFF adventures while I was in Toronto and it was conveniently located just a few blocks away from all of the host venues.

Seen On Screen

As Toronto’s landmark hotel, The Fairmont Royal York has always had a leading role in the film industry, both as a resting place for the stars and as a location for a number of films, such as Cinderella Man and Serendipity.

A film industry secret is that New York scenes are often filmed in Toronto (cheaper and easier to co-ordinate), so over the years, The Fairmont Royal York has doubled as The Plaza, the Waldorf Astoria and even the White House.

Legendary guests over the years have included Winston Churchill, Cary Grant, Morgan Freeman, Drew Barrymore, Dolly Parton, Mohammed Ali, Tina Turner, the Olsens and many more.

The Fairmont Royal York has even hosted three generations of British royals and when the Queen visits Canada, it is said that she books the top five floors for her stay.

The Room

For four nights, I stayed in a Fairmont room with a Queen-size bed on the fourth floor. Decorated in a rich, classic colour palette with dark wood tones, the room was traditional, spacious and very comfortable.

It boasted a huge LCD TV placed conveniently in front of the bed, a well-stocked minibar and a Mr Coffee machine with freshly ground coffee and a selection of Fairmont teas.

The queen bed was extremely comfortable and soft with crisp linen and plenty of plump pillows. Along with the powerful air conditioning, this made for a long, peaceful sleep.

To avoid internet charges in your room at Fairmont Royal York, just join the Presidents Club before you book and you can benefit from free internet for the duration of your stay, priority check-in and hotel service discounts. It’s free to join and you can apply quickly online – a perk for those in the know.

The beige marble bathroom was a good size with a bath-shower and featured Miller Harris Citron Citron amenities (including conditioner), plenty of fluffy towels and a neat little bundle of face cloths.

A Welcome Treat

After settling into my room, I was welcomed with a board of local Ontario cheeses and a bottle of Fairmont Cuvée Royale Cabernet Merlot from an estate in Canada. The generous plate of cheese were delicious and the perfect welcome gift, as I was rather peckish after a whole day of travelling.

The Swimming Pool and Fitness Room

As soon as I checked in, I went for a swim in the lap pool to relax and re-energise after the long flight to Toronto. I could have lazed in the cosy whirlpool all evening, but there was also the sauna and steam room to try.

The fitness room was very well-equipped and if you’re feeling sporty, you can take advantage of Fairmont Fit during your visit. Just notify the hotel of you dress and shoe size and they will have a gym kit and trainers, courtesy of Adidas, ready for your arrival.

A highlight of staying at The Fairmont Royal York was the incredible breakfasts. As I discovered on my first trip to Canada – skiing in Banff – the Canadians sure know how to do breakfast.

Breakfast

Each morning I went down to EPIC restaurant and chose my breakfast from the extensive hot and continental buffet. Chefs were on hand to cook eggs however you want them and each day there was a choice of French toast with berries, pancakes with maple syrup, crepes Suzettes and waffles.

I loved the idea of having Eggs Benedict served as part of a buffet and was rather partial to the Fairmont blueberry cake, but there are plenty of healthy options, including fresh sliced fruit, yoghurt and hot granola.

Restaurants

The Fairmont is a real destination hotel and has a number of dining options, including fine dining by chef Timothy Palmer at EPIC, teppanyaki at Benihana Japanese Steakhouse, lunch and take-out at York’s Deli & Bakery, pub meals at Piper’s and film-inspired cocktails at the Library Bar.

On the basement level is the Avenue, where you can find a convenience store, a newsagent, boutiques and a hotel spa and salon, which even caters for a quick vacation nip and tuck!

The Avenue actually leads on to the subway, so you can escape the morning rush hour road traffic and just get on with your journey.

Other unique features of the Fairmont Royal York are the beehives and herb gardens on the rooftop, providing the hotel kitchens with the freshest local honey and herbs.

As with many expansive, historic hotels, there are some areas that could do with a bit of sprucing up, but this adds to the romantic glamour of the hotel.

If you’re not attending TIFF and are coming to explore the city, the Fairmont Royal York is located very close to the CN Tower, Union Station and St Lawrence Market, making it the perfect base to see the best of Toronto.

Kuoni (01306 747008/www.kuoni.co.uk) offers 3 nights at The Fairmont Royal York, Toronto, in a Fairmont room on a room only basis, including flights with Air Canada from Heathrow.

Prices for 2012 from £910 per person based on two sharing. For more information on Toronto, visit: www.seetorontonow.com.

Chérie City was a guest of Kuoni and Tourism Toronto.

Photos: Chérie City and Fairmont Royal York.

Films, News, Toronto

TIFF 2011 – Toronto International Film Festival

September 17, 2011 by cheriecity

TIFF – Toronto International Film Festival brings the stars to Toronto and for two weeks, the city becomes a buzzing, vibrant hub for the film industry. Chérie City was privileged to be invited to explore city of Toronto and attend TIFF 2011 as part of a group of UK press.

Now on to its 36th year, TIFF is recognised as the most important film festival after Cannes and has become a launch pad for the best of international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema.

Major actors, directors and emerging film-makers decend annually on downtown Toronto to promote their new films, seek distribution deals and present their films to the public and press, often for the first time.

TIFF is fast-paced and manic with a full schedule of red carpet galas at Roy Thomson Hall, public and press screenings, film industry talks and star-studded parties (Soho House hosted a pop up bar this year).

This year, TIFF celebrates the first anniversary of its new year-round home, TIFF Bell Lightbox – an impressive cultural centre and cinematheque, showcasing Canadian and world films.

One of the most anticipated films at TIFF 2011 has arguably been Take This Waltz by Sarah Polley, a quirky indie romantic comedy by Canadian director Sarah Polley, featuring Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams. Also hotly tipped have been The Ides of March, starring and directed by George Clooney and David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method, narrating the troubled friendship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, featuring Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley.

My TIFF highlight was the gala screening of Christophe Honoré’s Beloved, starring Catherine Deneuve and her real-life daughter Chiara Mastroianni, Ludivine Sagnier and my favourite French actor, and long-term Honoré collaborator, Louis Garrel. But more about that later…

For more information on TIFF and TIFF Bell Lightbox, visit: http://tiff.net

All TIFF Bell Lightbox images: Sam Santos/WireImage for TIFF
Take This Waltz: Michael Gibson