The exclusive opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival exhibit "Grace Kelly: From Movie Star to Princess" drew 500 guests—including the prince and princess of Monaco—to the TIFF Bell Lightbox on November 2. Playing off a 1950s Hollywood theme, the TIFF team brought in props from the era and transformed the space in honour of the exclusive preview. “We wanted to give guests a sense of Hollywood royalty,” said Adrienne Giroux, senior manager of sales and event services at TIFF.
“To kind of contrast our very contemporary building, we set up these vignettes,” Giroux said. In the BlackBerry Lounge on the second floor and in the cinema lobby, they used pieces like an antique fan, old-style radio, and '50s-inspired furniture. Head shots hung on the walls like those you would see in a greenroom. Vinyl coverings were fixed to the windows in the BlackBerry Lounge, replacing the cityscape of downtown Toronto with vista views of Los Angeles.
With Kelly's son, Prince Albert II, and his wife, Princess Charlène, in attendance, security was an important aspect of the event. Citing TIFF’s 35 years of high-profile events, Giroux said, “Security comes second nature to us." With help from VP Protection Inc, road closures and barricades were placed on King Street, and the team planned the couple’s entrance minute by minute to ensure everything went smoothly.
After walking the red carpet in the atrium, guests could preview the exhibit, which brings together personal items from Kelly’s life in Hollywood and as princess of Monaco. This is the only North American stop for the exhibit, which will be on display at TIFF until January 22.
Photo: Courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival
Photo: Courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival
Photo: Courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival
Photo: Courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival
Photo: Dan Truong
Photo: Dan Truong
Photo: Dan Truong
Photo: Dan Truong
Photo: Courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival
Photo: Courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival