Prime Minister Mark Carney opened the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival with a patriotic speech that celebrated Canadian culture — and included a subtle swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump.
Carney took the stage to a standing ovation ahead of the screening of opening-night film "John Candy: I Like Me," a documentary celebrating the late Canadian comedian.
He quipped he was there to “take credit” for the Trudeau government’s support of TIFF — including a $23-million investment last year in its upcoming content market — before stressing he's reaffirming those commitments.
TIFF is "a testament to part of what makes Canada unique," said Carney, who's been in Toronto this week for a Liberal cabinet retreat.
He went on to pay tribute to Candy, saying the film reflected important Canadian values like "tolerance, generosity and humility."
He noted that in many of Candy’s movies, the comic played characters who confronted their bullies.
“Don’t push a Canadian too far,” Carney said with a grin, alluding to Canada's fraught relationship with the U.S.
Candy’s characters were usually up against "somebody who's richer, someone who's more powerful, maybe a little more arrogant," he added, drawing laughs from the crowd.
Carney tied the theme back to the present day, warning of a “more dangerous, divided and intolerant world” where Canadian sovereignty and identity are increasingly challenged. When faced with such threats, he said, Canadians have “channelled their inner John Candy, stood up, elbows up, and written our own lines.”
TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey introduced Carney, saying he's grateful to everyone who's helped the festival grow into "an event in which all of Toronto, in fact, all of Canada, can take pride."
Candy's children, Chris and Jennifer, walked the red carpet ahead of the screening alongside executive producer Ryan Reynolds and director Colin Hanks.
Hanks called premiering the movie at TIFF a "perfect dream scenario."
"The fact that (Candy) is from Toronto and was nicknamed Johnny Toronto, it's kind of a no-brainer," he said.
"I just wanted to showcase not only how talented he was and everything that he did as an actor, but more importantly, showcase the kind of human he was, because he really was a great guy."
Other Hollywood heavyweights attending the festival over the next 11 days include Angelina Jolie, Keanu Reeves, Sydney Sweeney and Dwayne Johnson.
Another big draw on the first day of the festival was U.K. pop star Charli XCX, who made her feature film debut in the drama “Erupcja.”
Charli fans turned up at the TIFF Lightbox decked in the singer's "brat green" colour to show support for the film.
The movie was shot in secrecy last year, and the "Von Dutch" singer proved just as elusive on the red carpet, making a very brief appearance in a black mini dress.
In the morning, film buffs lined up outside the Lightbox to grab tickets to the edgy world premiere, though many of them admitted they couldn't pronounce "Erupcja" with any certainty.
Ben Jeffries was one of the first in the rush line. He hoped that by showing up six hours early, he might get one of the last seats inside the cinema.
“I'm a huge fan of Charli," he said.
"I'm happy to be standing around in the middle of the festival. I feel like I'm a part of it.”
One of the friends Jeffries met was aspiring filmmaker Michael Ashby, who flew from Sebring, Fla., with plans to outdo his experience at last year's TIFF, where he caught 28 films and got hooked on the experience.
"(That) was my first festival," Ashby, 21, said. "And then I did Sundance online, the Florida Film Festival in Miami, Cannes, and now I'm back here."
This year’s milestone edition of TIFF will feature 291 films from around the world, with Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein" and Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine” among the buzziest crowd-pleasers.
Also in the lineup are some politically charged films, including "Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk," about a Palestinian photojournalist who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in April, as well as "The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue," which follows a retired Israeli soldier who saved his family during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.
The festival runs through Sept. 14, when it closes with the People’s Choice Awards — a prize often seen as an early predictor of Oscar success.
