The very handsome and debonair (and somewhat slimmer) Colin Firth was a sight to behold! Women and men alike were fighting for his attention on both sides of the barrier while I managed to get several photos! Colin's wife Livia, looked gorgeous as ever standing next to her man wearing a gown that meets the Green Carpet Challenge criteria (http://www.eco-age.com/green-carpet-challenge/). Once satisfied I captured enough photos, Carla and I hoofed it back into Roy Thompson Hall to find our seats. We were in the balcony and from our seats we could see Livia and I was so pleased that someone so elegant and slender can mow down on the popcorn just like the rest of us! You go girl!
After the cast of "The Railway Man" was introduced, they came and sat down in the row ahead of Livia and we were able to steal looks at Colin during the film. "The Railway Man" is based on a true story about Eric Lomax (portrayed by Colin) and his wife Patty (portrayed by Nicole Kidman). Eric Lomax was a British soldier in WW II who was captured by the Japanese who tortured him and put him to work on the Thailand Death Railway. It was a very compelling and moving story, even more so when it was announced that the real Patty Lomax was in the audience with us!
Afterwards, upon retrieving my car and Carla paying the exorbitant parking, we headed home, but not before a surprise sighting of Colin entering the Ritz Carlton hotel! Next year, we must plan ahead and book a room there! Carla was flabbergasted that Colin was actually there watching the film with us and we talked the whole way home about the experience. Kudos to her husband Steve who graciously took care of my two youngest kids (John was flying home from Calgary) and even took them out for dinner!
It's not often that I get a chance to dress up, so this year I enjoyed donning a dress and heels to attend the festival. Knowing that on the Sunday I would have a much better chance of getting up close to Colin, I made an extra concerted effort. I was so worried about not getting to the film on time that we left at 3 pm to head into Toronto. After a minor map mishap, we managed to get to Roy Thompson Hall to park. Here's where I must mention the perks of being a VISA Infinite card holder. On Friday night (after having already parked in the money pit) we learned that VISA Infinite was giving out parking vouchers, cab fare vouchers, water bottles, chocolates, espresso and more! We told the man at the kiosk that we would be returning on Sunday but the film was at the Elgin Theatre. He said that was no problem, come and park here at RTH and I'll give you a voucher for a cab to take you to the Elgin! Sweet!! So we did just that, which kind of lessened the sick feeling of what we paid on Friday! The cab dropped us off in front of the Elgin and we proceeded to line up. An attendant asked us if we had tickets for "The Prisoners" which is when we discovered that the film I thought started at 6:30 pm actually began at 9:30 pm. Oops! But, we discovered the priority line for VISA Infinite members, and a bar across the street! And take that John! I was over 5 hours early for something!! LOL! At Baton Rouge with a glass of Torrentes in hand and a plate of nachos before us, we also had a great vantage point to see when the queue started for "Devil's Knot".
We secured our spot in the VISA Infinite priority line, then saw an e-Talk car drive by. Carla and I glanced at each other and mouthed "bitch" at the same time, when Fernando, the man ahead of us turned round and said he didn't hear a thing! Backtracking again to Friday night, I should inform you of what happened at the red carpet before the stars arrived. Tanya Kim, host of e-Talk came out to the crowd asking if there were any Colin Firth fans present....umm...yes! She went over to talk to some older lady with bottle-blond coiffed hair (I wonder if she is the stalker Colin mentions in his biography?). When Kim started walking away from her, I sequestered her over to where I was standing and showed her the Colin Firth Diet Club sheet that John gave me almost a year ago and explained what it was about and that I was hoping to get Colin to autograph it for me. (Unfortunately it wasn't the original paper because while I was frantically rummaging through the junk drawer for a suitable Sharpie, I mistakenly scribbled on it with a green one - so I had to run downstairs to the office and print off a new copy). Anyways, Kim just didn't get it and didn't understand the motivation behind it all - and why would she when she's pencil thin and may never have to worry about Diabetes and heart disease like so many of us! Sorry if that came off a tad bitter, but...!
...But if it wasn't for her, we may not have voiced the expletive we did, and Fernando may not have turned his head and began talking to us, and the amazing events that transpired afterwards may never have happened - so thank you Ms. Kim! Fernando and his friend Mario, along with 3 other friends: Jonathan, Dave and Mary Rae really know the ins and outs of TIFF. They attend about 25-35 films each year during the festival. I explained the Colin Firth Diet Club to Fernando and discovered he is a fan of 'Wheat Belly' and is currently eating wheat-free. He asked me to enter my blog address into his phone and we had great conversation. These men told us the ideal place to situate ourselves in the lounge so we'd be closer to the stairs when they escorted us into the theatre. We were handed free water bottles, free Lindt caramel chocolates made before our very eyes, free popcorn and a free TIFF canvas bag. Fernando even managed to get other Lindt flavours because he's so well known in the lounge! Our new friends even treated Carla and I to a glass of wine! When time was nearing to go into the theatre, Fernando and Mario told us to sit, relax, and enjoy our wine - that they would save us some seats. Of course, having just met them we were in awe that they were so willing to help us! I decided to go back into the lobby and await Colin's arrival. Having been at this venue to see him last year in "Arthur Newman", I knew my best chance to obtain an autograph would be there. Meanwhile, Mario instructed Carla to hold on tight to the strap of his bag and not let go while they entered the theatre. A few minutes after I arrived in the lobby, I received a text from Carla stating "We are fckn front row!". Our new friends became our guardian angels from above! Not only did they get enough seats for us, they gave up prime real estate and let us have the two seats front row dead centre! People kept trying to take my seat while I was in the lobby but Carla and the gang told them all that I was in the lobby doing an interview and would be there shortly.
Things were getting intense in the lobby as Colin inched his way closer to me through the press and paparazzi. I held on to my Colin Firth Diet Club sheet with great hopes of acquiring Colin's autograph. When choosing what to bring for an autograph, I figured this was the most special as it was personally meaningful to me and the best 'gold star' I could achieve for the progress I've made in nearly a year! I could hardly contain myself when he got near enough that I was able to thrust the paper and Sharpie pen in his hand - and I got it! He signed the Colin Firth Diet Club! Now, you are probably asking yourselves - did he look at what he was signing? Did he know about it? And sadly he didn't have enough time to take in what he was signing. I was the first person he gave an autograph to and he proceeded to sign a few others with my pen (actually it was Carla's and she's never getting it back!). Had you taken my blood pressure at that moment, I think the cuff may have exploded! I stepped back to let others have a chance and texted Carla "I got it!" which she relayed back to our Guardian Angels who all shouted and jumped with joy at the news!
"Devil's Knot" was also based on a true story and was rather disturbing as it told the story of 3 young boys murdered in Arkansas. Colin played the detective who investigated the case. After the premiere, Atom Egoyan, the Director, along with the cast came up on stage for a Q & A session. Our Guardian Angels informed me that should I not manage to get Colin's autograph in the lobby I could try after the film. The cast exits out the stage side door and this is where the cars meet to pick them up. I didn't need to go as I already secured my autograph, but while Carla went in search of a ladies room, I followed the cast out into the side street. Colin made a speedy escape but I did see Stephen Moyer and James Hamrick. James signed my ticket stub and posed for a photo with me. Then I went to find Carla to fetch my car and reminisce about our good fortune that night!! The whole evening seemed so surreal and we wonder, Fernando, Mario et al., are you real? Are you really angels sent from above? We many never meet again...but we will never forget you guys!
I went to TIFF the following two nights and saw "Blood Ties" with Melissa (Clive Owen fan!), and "Kill Your Darlings" (with John) and one last time on Thursday to see "The Love Punch" with Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson. We kept our eyes open for Fernando and Mario but didn't see them - hope we run into each other again at TIFF 2014! You will be forever known as the Fantastic Five who helped make my wish come to fruition that night! Thank you!
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