The 48th edition kicked off with actors and writers on strike, so many of the stars who attended trekked across the border with both their passports and SAG-AFTRA interim agreements in hand.
The cast of “Dicks: The Musical” didn’t learn they could participate until the eleventh hour. “Thank you, A24, for making a fucking deal that a trillion-dollar tech company won’t [make],” writer-star Josh Sharp told the crowd at the movie’s Midnight Madness screening.
Another last-minute addition was Ava DuVernay’s “Origin,” which premiered in Venice.
“This film is meant to be a conversation starter,” DuVernay said while introducing the film, then quoted activist Angela Davis. “She says, ‘Walls turned sideways are bridges,’ and that’s what we hope this film becomes: a bridge.”
Here’s a look at some of the highlights from this year’s festival:
Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin
Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin attend the premiere of the Netflix documentary “Sly” at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 16
Domhnall Gleeson
Domhnall Gleeson smiles for a selfie outside the “Alice & Jack” premiere at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 16
Andy Lau and Ning Hao
Andy Lau and Ning Hao attend “The Movie Emperor” awards ceremony reception at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 15
Salma Hayek and Cameron Bailey
Salma Hayek and TIFF’s Cameron Bailey attend a meet and greet with the festival’s board of directors at TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sept. 13
George C. Wolfe
George C. Wolfe during the “Rustin” screening at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 12
Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard
“Memory” stars Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard pose on the red carpet for the film’s screening at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 12
John Carney
John Carney on the red carpet for the “Flora and Son” premiere at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 12
Joe Wright and Haley Bennett
“Widow Clicquot” producer/star Haley Bennett (right) with Joe Wright at the film’s screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sept. 12
Harmony Korine
Harmony Korine attends the “Aggro Dr1ft” screening at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Spet. 11
Spike Lee
Spike Lee atttends the Black Excellence Brunch at Bisha Hotel & Residences on Sept. 11
Maya Hawke, Ethan Hawke and Laura Linney
Variety’s TIFF cover stars Ethan and Maya Hawke pose with Laura Linney at the “Wildcat” screening at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 11
Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke wears a t-shirt showing his solidarity with SAG-AFTRA to the “Wildcat” screening at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 11
Ava DuVernay
Ava DuVernay on the red carpet for the “Origin” screening at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 11
Gemma Arterton
Gemma Arterton attends “The Critic” premiere at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 11
Ben Barnes
Ben Barnes poses for a selfie outside “The Critic” premiere at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 11
Yvonne Walcott-Yates and David Yates
“Pain Hustlers” filmmaker David Yates (right) with wife Yvonne Walcott-Yates at the film’s premiere at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 11
Richard Linklater
Filmmaker Richard Linklater signs autographs outside the “Hit Man” screening at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 11
Mark Orton and Alexander Payne
Filmmaker Alexander Payne with composer Mark Orton at “The Holdovers” screening at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 11
Barry Jenkins, Spike Lee and Chaz Ebert
Ebert Director Award honoree Spike Lee (center) poses with Barry Jenkins and Chaz Ebert at the TIFF Tribute Gala at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Sept. 10
Pedro Almodóvar and David Linde
Pedro Almodóvar accepts the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant from David Linde at the TIFF Tribute Gala at the Royal York Hotel on Sept. 10
Colman Domingo and Clement Virgo
Tribute Performer Award honoree Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing,” “Rustin”) and Clement Virgo attend the TIFF Tribute Gala at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Sept. 10
Łukasz Żal
Łukasz Żal accepts the TIFF Variety Artisan Award during the TIFF Tribute Gala at the Royal York Hotel on Sept. 10
Camila Morrone, Patricia Arquette and Willem Dafoe
Patricia Arquette (center), recipient of the Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award, poses with “Gonzo Girl” stars Camila Morrone and Willem Dafoe during the TIFF Tribute Gala at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Sept. 10
Ethan Hawke and Viggo Mortensen
“Wildcat” director Ethan Hawke and “The Dead Don’t Hurt” director Viggo Mortensen inside the TIFF Tribute Gala at the Royal York Hotel on Sept. 10
Sophie Levy, Shawn Levy and Serena Levy
Shawn Levy (center), recipient of the inaugural Norman Jewison Award, poses on the red carpet with daughter Sophie Levy, and wife Serena Levy before the TIFF Tribute Gala at the Royal York Hotel on Sept. 10
Vicky Krieps
Tribute Performer Award honoree Vicky Krieps popses on the TIFF Tribute Gala red carpet at the Royal York Hotel on Sept. 10
Hirokazu Kore-eda
Hirokazu Kore-eda attends the “Monster” premiere at TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sept. 10
Finn Wolfhard
Finn Wolfhard signs autographs at the “Hell of a Summer” premiere at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 10
Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk
Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk attend the premiere of “Hell of a Summer”, their directorial debut, at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 10
Jaiyah Saelua and Taika Waititi
Filmmaker Taika Waititi (right) and Jaiyah Saelua attend the “Next Goal Wins” premiere at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 10
Park Seo-jun
Park Seo-jun attends the “Concrete Utopia” premiere at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 10
Ro Donnelly, Dakota Johnson and Christy Hall
Filmmaker Christy Johnson with Teatime Pictures’ Ro Donnelly and Dakota Johnson at the “Daddio” screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sept. 10.
Sean Penn
Sean Penn attends “Daddio” international premiere party hosted by Johnnie Walker Black at Pink Sky on Sept. 10
Alex Gibney
Alex Gibney on the red carpet for the “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon” premiere at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 10.
Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel
Filmmakers Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel attend the “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero” documentary at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 9
Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X walks the red carpet for the “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero” documentary premiere at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 9
Rae Isla, Tony Goldwyn and Adrienne Ackerman
“Ezra” director Tony Goldwyn poses with Rae Isla and Adrienne Ackerman before the film’s premiere at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 9.
Rebecca Angela and Lauren Schuker Blum
“Dumb Money” screenwriters Rebecca Angela and Lauren Schuker Blum inside Variety and Chanel’s Female Filmmakers Dinner held at Soho House Toronto on Sept. 9
Colman Domingo, Barry Jenkins, Lulu Wang and Raul Domingo
Colman Domingo, Barry Jenkins, Lulu Wang and Raul Domingo inside Variety and Chanel’s Female Filmmakers Dinner held at Soho House Toronto on Sept. 9
Alisa Payne, Mara Brock Akil, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Roger Ross Williams and TIFF’s Thom Powers
Producer Alisa Payne, executive producer Mara Brock Akil, subject Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and filmmaker Roger Ross Williams speak with TIFF’s Thom Powers during the premiere of “Stamped From The Beginning” at TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sept. 9
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage waves to fans outside the “Dream Scenario” premiere at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 9
Wilson Jefferson Jr. and Cord Jefferson
Filmmaker Cord Jefferson (right) and his father Wilson Jefferson Jr. attend the “American Fiction” premiere at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 8. The film went on to win the TIFF Audience Award.
Elliot Page
Elliot Page poses at the “Backspot” screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sept. 8
Nickelback
Nickelback performs at the Festival Street Music Stage during the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8
Nickelback
Chad Kroeger, Michael Kroeger, Daniel Adair and Ryan Peake of Nickelback at the “Hate to Love: Nickelback” screening at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 8
Atlas Green, Vicky Krieps and Viggo Mortensen
“The Dead Don’t Hurt” director Viggo Mortensen looks on as Vicky Krieps hoists Atlas Green into the air on the red carpet at Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 8
Ladj Ly
Filmmaker Ladj Ly attends the “Les Indesirables” premiere at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 8
Minhal Baig
Filmmaker Minhal Baig at the reception for “We Grown Now” at MARKED Restaurant on Sept. 8
Wim Wenders and Kōji Yakusho
Wim Wenders and Kōji Yakusho attend the “Perfect Days” screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sept. 7
Josh Sharp, Bowen Yang and Aaron Jackson
Josh Sharp, Bowen Yang and Aaron Jackson pose with the Sewer Boys on the “Dicks: The Musical” premiere red carpet at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Sept. 7
Junichi Nishioka and Guillermo del Toro
Studio Ghibli’s Junichi Nishioka and Guillermo del Toro attend “The Boy and the Heron” opening night premiere at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 7
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