Opening Night Gala

Welcome to the Toronto International Film festival. Don't get excited. There's something you need to know about the Canadian Star System: there isn't one. That's probably why Toronto is such a popular festival for so many celebrities. Adult Canadians would be appalled to stalk and hinder another human being just because he was sexy or famous. (For this, they reluctantly turn to the press.) Generally, Canadians tend to go the other way and actively scowl at stars who happen to get in the way. In the land of maple leafs and ice hockey, it's considered the apex of bad taste to draw attention to oneself for no better reason than being able to speak a few lines on television. Athletes, politicians, and writers deserve to get hounded, but stars? That's just so.. so...silly.

And so at the many festival parties, you will often see stars standing alone and gazing off into space...if they can get into their own parties. Take the case of the Canadian award-winning actor Leni "starlet" Parker. She's a principal performer in the Gala opening film of the festival, Stardom by Denys Arcand. In addition, she's in a festival movie about the father of film, Eisenstein and has a starring role as the Leader Of the Universe Da'an in the Trekkie show "Earth Final Conflict," (where she uncomplainingly wears an alien headpiece that looks like twenty pounds of rubber). Despite this success, being a starlet in Toronto has its problems: last week she couldn't get a ticket to her own screening. Only days ago did she find out that Arcand had invited her to appear on stage with the other performers (including Dan Aykroyd and Jessica Pare) when she got a call from the Alliance/Atlantis production company. The phone call sent Leni - not some personal assistant -- frantically searching for appropriate evening attire. There's no star-grooming here in Canada. If they want to be in the public eye, let them, but no one's going to put them there.

"The girls are in the house," reported Leni at the huge Harbourfront after-show party. Harbourfront is a beautiful low-lying building on the waters of Lake Ontario. Boats lined the docks where party-goers strolled and fountains glittered. All guests walked down a corridor of silver satin ribbons that lead to free martinis, wine and food.

Hours earlier, the red carpet outside Roy Thompson Hall was a scene worthy of any Hollywood premiere, except for that quirky Canadian tendency for people to ignore the stars. Canadian acting legend Al Waxman showed up late and was told there were no more seats (although eventually he was given one). After several unknown business men exited their limousines, Leni finally came out of the her black Limo, looking very queenly and answering questions with aplomb. She was followed by Dan Aykroyd, as genial and quick-witted as ever. Then came the star of Stardom Jessica Pare, who in spite of Arcand's focus on her top-heavy build managed to convey the possibilities that she may be a very good actor. Denys Arcand himself claimed that the only evidence of Stardom that Canada needed was Pare.

The film was preceded by long speeches commemorating the 25th anniversary of the festival by Canada's Minister of Culture, Sheila Cops; Piers Handling and Michele Maheux, the Festival Directors; and an introduction to three old codgers who are founders of the festival: William Marshall, Dusty Cohl and Henk Van der Kolk. Then they showed the film, which was, as hinted earlier, a weak justification of male menopause (many, many boob shots while Pare says "I like older men", which is disappointing because Arcand is capable of genius). Ah well.

As final proof of the limping Canadian star system, when Leni arrived at the after screening party, she was barred from the VIP tent. I left, and I'm sure she worked it out, but it was a fitting end to an evening of speculating on Canada's relationship with Stardom.

Mary-Lou Zeitoun