Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Toronto, ON

Through work, I received a ticket to see a movie in the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this evening.

TIFF is dedicated to presenting the best of international and Canadian cinema to film lovers. What began as a ten-day film festival has grown to embrace programming 365 days a year. TIFF offers screenings, lectures, discussions, festivals, workshops industry support and the chance to meet filmmakers from Canada and around the world.

TIFF started Thursday night.  They have closed King Street W off from Peter Street to University Avenue for the weekend for the festivities.

I walked east along King Street W just after 5pm ... the street was jammed.

No one was playing in the bandstand

Restaurants extended their patios onto the street

Fans waited for stars to come out of the theatre

Fans waited for stars to come out of the theatre

Want to play some chess?

You could play a piano if you wanted

The movie I saw was at Roy Thomson Hall.

I saw The New Girlfriend.

From TIFF ~ A young woman (rising French star Anaïs Demoustier) makes a surprising discovery about the husband (Romain Duris) of her late best friend.

Like the wittiest dinner guest imaginable, director François Ozon tells tales that sizzle. Lust, longing, and broken taboos fill his scenarios, all relayed with precision and style.

Claire and Laura have been best friends since childhood; their lives intertwined. When Laura falls ill and dies, Claire reaches out to comfort Laura's husband, David. It's then that she discovers David's secret: he enjoys dressing as a woman.

From that simple, saucy premise, Ozon takes The New Girlfriend down an ever surprising path. Having lost her best friend, Claire begins a new relationship with David, who prefers to be called Virginia when he dons a blonde wig and his late wife's chic dresses. Their first trip to the mall together is a delight; yet emotion runs deeper as Claire helps Virginia navigate the complications of his neighbours, his young child, and Claire's own curious husband.

Playing a man who both desires women and is most comfortable in their traditional feminine armour, Romain Duris is outstanding. This is a delicious performance, as David luxuriates in the rituals of makeup and lingerie, and enjoys the sweet pain of waxing his lower back

This is a film attuned to the nuances of LGBTQ identities but pursuing above all an affair of the heart.

François Ozon, Anaïs Demoustier and Romain Duris gave short speeches before the film started.  It was a French movie with subtitles.  The acting was good and the story was interesting.  As a head's up, it's not a film for the family as there was adult activity and female and male nudity.

After the movie was over, I walked west along King Street W ... it was still jammed with people.

You could still play the piano

And still play chess

Fans still waited for stars to come out of the theatre

Fans still waited for stars to come out of the theatre

Fans still waited for stars to come out of the theatre

Lots of people on the restaurants' patios

Lots of people on the restaurants' patios

Lots of people on the restaurants' patios

There was a band in the bandstand