As one of the most important and well-respected film festivals in the world begins, stars from all over are making their way to Canada’s biggest city for the Toronto International Film Festival. Showcasing 366 films over ten event-packed days, odds are one of your favourite actors/actresses will be gracing T.O. to support their films, dine, party, and enjoy everything the city has to offer.
Heavy-hitters such as Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Denzel Washington, Anna Kendrick, Jon Stewart, Benedict Cumberbatch, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, John Travolta, Kristen Wiig, Adam Sandler, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Murray, Keira Knightley, and Morgan Freeman will be strutting down the red carpet this year— but they will also be out and about on the town. For those who want to skip the films and get right down to the business of celeb-spotting, we have curated the top places you will likely see your favourite A-lister.
The airport:
Well, the stars need to get here somehow, and it’s usually by plane. If the hustle and bustle of peeking through the paparazzi and screaming fans only to see half of Channing Tatum’s glorious jawline sounds like a waste of time, try the airport! Stake out the terminals that have arriving planes from Air Canada or U.S carriers.
Hotels:
Basically, if you can think of a posh hotel in Toronto’s downtown core, there’s a good chance a star will be staying there. The Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La, SoHo Metropolitan, InterContinental Yorkville, Hotel Le Germain, Trump, Four Seasons, Windsor Arms, Park Hyatt, The Drake, and the Hazelton Hotel are some key players in the hotel game that will attract A-listers. Either you can try to score a room in one of these hotels, or just “casually” walk by each multiple times a day— alternately, check out the hotel’s restaurant and lobby bar for an inside look.
Theatres:
This year TIFF is screening films in 11 different theatres around Toronto. Do your homework to find out when and where your favourite stars are scheduled to be walking the red carpet and make sure to arrive extra early to see them hop out of their ride. If you’re in the market to see the high-profile celebs, head to the galas. Some major venues to consider are Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room (Elgin/Winter Garden), and the Princess of Wales. There’s also the venue at the heart of the festival, the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
Shopping:
Oh, they will be shopping. It’s a safe bet to assume stars will be hitting up luxury stores, but it’s really what they are in the market for. Yorkville is home to high-end brands and will most likely be the stomping grounds for celebs these next few days. Try out Holt Renfrew, peek into high-end label stores on Bloor, and sift through trendy boutiques along Queen West.
Restaurants and bars:
Celebs will be flooding restaurants across the city, so be sure to keep a look-out when turning corners. Some notable restaurants and bars to swing by during the festival are Hudson Kitchen, La Societé, The Drake, The Drake One Fifty, Bar Buca, Brassaii, Colette, The Hoxton, Café Boulud and Bar, Soho House (this one is members-only, but you might see stars if you hang out nearby!), One at the Hazelton Hotel, the rooftop bar at the Thompson Hotel, and of course the Starbucks in Yorkville will surely be swarming with caffeine-hungry stars.
We want to hear about your TIFF14 star-spotting stories! Tell us about it in the comments, tweet at us @CitylineCA, or email your story and/or photos to submissions@cityline.ca!