The Toronto International Film Festival, held this year from September 4 to 14, celebrated its lineup of 300 films with events held across the city. Here's a peek inside some of the festival's biggest gifting suites, charitable happenings, cast gatherings, and more, as well as brand activations from the likes of Brita, Hugo Boss, Fiji Water, and Rdio.
The Drake Hotel properties partnered with the film festival for the 11th year, hosting 10 nights of musical performances, video art, and cocktails until 4 a.m. Performers at the hotel's nighttime bashes included the electronic duo Prince Innocence.
The parties also offered services such as manicures from Pinky's. Speakeasy Tattoo took over a hotel suite to create a temporary tattoo parlor (with not-temporary ink).
For the fourth year, the Storys Building on Duncan Street hosted a slew of events during the festival's run. One of the major sponsors was Virgin Mobile, which had activations including an on-site charging station. Icon Legacy Hospitality and Ink Entertainment produced the building's 20-some functions.
A giant double-decker bus stationed outside the building was wrapped in a Virgin Mobile ad. Throughout the festival, events that took place at the Storys Building included a cast cocktail party for The Humbling (which stars Al Pacino) and a shoot for InStyle magazine.
The names of sponsors such as Ketel One appeared in frames on a step-and-repeat outside of the building. Inside the space, the liquor brand hosted bars and provided specialty cocktails including one that combined vodka with edlerflower and prosecco.
NKPR's IT Lounge once again took place in an eight-story building on Adelaide Street West. Open to media, celebrities, and other V.I.P. festival attendees, the lounge and portrait studio offered a variety of services, including hairstyling from Goody.
Canadian band Eleven Past One performed at the lounge.
Brita was the presenting sponsor of the Tastemakers Lounge, which took over adjoining suites at the InterContinental Toronto Centre. Now in its 10th year, the gifting suite was produced by Rock-It Promotions. Talent, including Elisha Cuthbert, took home a Brita Filtering Bottle.
The fifth annual Essentials Lounge, which provides media with "essentials" needed to muscle through the fast-paced festival, took place at the Templar Hotel. Produced by Esther Garnick PR, the lounge had offerings including mini facials from SkinCeuticals.
Guests could grab swag bags as they passed by Balzac's Coffee in the hotel lobby.
Bask-It Style, a gifting suite, took over the Royal Suite on the 16th floor of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Organizers hosted a "media day" on September 3. Visitors included cast members from Degrassi: The Next Generation, who listened to Sheila Cardenas of Free-Them speak about the anti-human-trafficking organization.
The gifting lounge also offered books, and Canadian authors Linwood Barclay and Adrienne Kress stopped by for signings. Glo Communications produced the event.
Taking cues from the round shape of the letter "o" in the eOne logo, Roick incorporated white balloons into the decor.
L'Eat Catering provided a french-fry station with both regular and sweet potato fries, inviting guests to pluck packets of ketchup off hanging strings. Other cinema-theme snacks included candy, pretzels, popcorn, and ice cream; there was a sushi conveyer belt in another area.
The benefit took place at Casa Loma on September 7, and raked in $1.5 million for the Haiti-focused charity. Indie rock band the National performed.
The event at Casa Loma also included an alfresco sit-down dinner. During a live auction, top packages included a meet and greet with designer Diane von Furstenberg, which went for $50,000.
On September 6, the festival's official music partner, Rdio, hosted an intimate concert with singer Ellie Goulding in a temporary concert hall that took over a former restaurant space on King Street West. There were also open-to-the-public activities outside of the venue. At one station, guests could don earphones and test out the music streaming service.
Hugo Boss teamed up with GQ to host an official celebration for the film The Riot Club on September 6. Held at Colette Grand Cafe, the event featured branded signage that served as a photo backdrop.
Fiji Water also sponsored several events throughout the festival's run. On September 9, AMC hosted a luncheon honoring Bron Studios at the America Restaurant at Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto Hotel. In addition to a supper-club-theme menu, guests sipped from passed bottles of the brand's water.
Fiji also sponsored the September 5 awards dinner, which took place at the Trump hotel. The event was hosted by A-List Communications and sponsored by AMC, and dinner tables held bottles of Fiji Water in silver sleeves. Honorees included the film Boychoir and Col Needham, founder and C.E.O. of IMDB.
On August 20, NKPR hosted a "Festival Countdown" bash at the home of company president Natasha Koifman. Cakes by Yolanda provided a black-and-white confection crowned with a clock. Guests snacked on miniature cupcakes that were displayed alongside the cake.
Yogurty's parked its bright pink truck in Koifman's driveway, and guests took advantage of the self-serve frozen yogurt.
More action took place by the candlelit pool, where guests lounged under tents and—later that evening—singer Jill Godin performed.
