Stars at the Toronto International Film Festival rarely know what to make of the madness that is, so appropriately, Midnight Madness.

During last year’s festival, actresses Erin Cummings, America Olivo, and Canadian Julia Voth–who walked the red carpet for their indie cult film, Bitch Slap–couldn’t believe the overwhelming response from fans.

The Toronto International Film Festival is a tremendous annual event for a lot of different reasons, but one of the best parts of the festival is the chance to meet great Canadian filmmakers who often don’t get the attention they deserve. At this year’s festival, one of my highlights was the opportunity to interview writer and director Ruba Nadda, who was at the festival for her latest feature film, Cairo Time, which stars Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig in a drama about a married woman who finds love while on vacation.

The 2009 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF as it is now called officially, has come to a close and this year the Fairmont Royal York played host to some serious TIFF action. You knew something wonderful was happening here as soon as you walked through the front doors end entered the lobby, a wonderful poster welcoming TIFF participants greeted you. The poster, another touch of brilliance courtesy of the film and TV person here at the Royal York, Kolene Elliott, was a very faithful recreation of the poster for The Wizard of Oz only it wasn’t Oz at the end of the yellow brick road, it was the Royal York. And it just got better from there.

Since my last post I’ve been a bit under the weather, falling victim to my usual film festival cold, but this time it came during TIFF, as opposed to after it. That left the end of the festival a bit of a downer, but I can’t help saying that this was still a fantastic year all the same.

Sunday was a decent day at the festival, but another one of those days where I realized there are just too many great things going on during the Toronto International Film Festival to make anyone feel accomplished. No matter how much I do, I’m missing ten other amazing events.

What’s that, more photos you say? Yes, indeed. Interviews and other goodies are coming, but after waiting for over four hours for this event I had to post some teaser photos from Oprah Winfrey‘s red carpet for the film Precious by author Sapphire.

Yesterday was an entertaining day at the Toronto International Film Festival, and kind of a big deal for me. I mean, all of the festival is a big deal, but this was a *big* deal. First off I interviewed Sam Neill for Daybreakers, which was actually my second interview with him (I was lucky enough to have chatted with him last year for Skin).

Although everyone kept their cool, it was easy to imagine that a few hearts were aflutter on Friday, September 11 when George Clooney and Ewan McGregor arrived at the Toronto International Film Festival press conference for their new film, The Men Who Stare at Goats.

Critically-acclaimed stars and over-exposed starlets have descended on Hollywood North for the largest public film festival in the world, and the hype surrounding this year’s TIFF selections is in full force. From another political thriller from George Clooney (Men Who Stare At Goats), and Jennifer’s Body, a Megan Fox vehicle which adds to the commercial-tweenification of horror films, to Mariah Carey’s Oscar-buzz performance in Precious, there are in fact too many must-see films for this one reviewer to see. But there are some rather quiet TIFF selections, not concerned at all with hype, which undoubtedly very few film critics will bother reviewing. That’s where I come in!

Writer Diablo Cody, director Karyn Kusama, and star Megan Fox helped kick off the Midnight Madness programme at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday, September 10 with the gala red carpet for their horror film, Jennifer’s Body.