A Day in the Life of TIFF – Day 7: The Headhunter’s Calling, All I See Is You

While the Toronto International Film Festival has long been considered a festival for the people, it relies on industry deals to keep the major players coming back.  However, times are changing and deals this year have been few.  Many pictures are coming to the festival already having distributing deals, in fact, as Variety reports, many films are getting picked up at the script stage in order to be more financially beneficial to the studios.  Still, there were a couple big pick ups with Fox Searchlight getting the much buzzed about Jackie (with Natalie Portman), and an unknown Chinese buyer gaining distribution rights to the Anne Hathaway starring Colossal.  Other films are likely going to sell by the end of the festival, but it sure hasn’t been the bidding frenzy of previous years.

Speaking of frenzies, crowds were certainly in one when Gerard Butler arrived for the premiere of his latest The Headhunter’s Calling.  Butler absorbed it all, hamming it up with fans, taking selfies and literally going to every corner of the red carpet before heading into the media tent.  He is clearly a lover of crowds.  The film follows the story of a corporate headhunter looking to take over control of his placement company in direct competition with a younger associate (Alison Brie).  When his son falls ill however he needs to choose between his ambition and his family.

Other premieres last night included All I See Is You starring Jason Clarke and Blake Lively.  Neither were on hand for the premiere but Lively, who is expecting her second child, sent along a video for the audience since she was disappointed on not being able to travel to be there.  Director Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, World War Z) was on hand along with Yvonne Strahovski (lots of Chuck fans outside!), Danny Huston, Ahna O’Reilly, Wes Chatham and producer Ron Pearlman.