Day 2 – TIFF 2025 – Friday, September 5

Red Carpets – TIFF Lightbox. Film Good Boy by Jan Komasa, starring Anson Boon, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough. Good Boy is described as an intense and unforgettable genre-bending strange captivity thriller that unfolds like a dark fairy tale.

Academy Award–nominated director Jan Komasa , produced by legendary filmmakers Jeremy Thomas, Ewa Piaskowska and Jerzy Skolimowski . Written by Bartek Bartosik and Naqqash Khalid and shot by Michał Dymek

WORLD PREMIERE – RED CARPET at TIFF Lightbox – Film, Lovely Day Mille secrets mille dangers. Directed by Philippe Falardeau

Canada | 2025 | 119m | French, English, Arabic

Lovely Day is described as an energetic, perceptive and very funny new feature film by Quebec’s Philippe Falardeau. Actors Rose-Marie Perreault, Neil Elias, Hassan Mahbouba, Hiam Abou Chedid and Georges Khabbaz and team graced the red carpet for the opening of Lovely Day at TIFF. Adapted by Falardeau and Montreal writer Alain Farah from Farah’s autobiographical novel Mille Secrets Mille Dangers.

Next, we were walking to Mademoiselle for the TIFF National Bank gala as this location always puts on a fantastic event during the film festival and it’s a yearly “must attend” for us.

We had the pleasure of attending the red carpet for Still Single, the world premier and the after party @MSSM in Yorkville. This documentary about Chef Saito digs deep into his arrival from NYC to Toronto to become the only Michelin two star restaurant in Canada. The characters that are part of his career, life and family are also featured.

A reality show would be a decent segue for this unique chef who really knows how to live and its showcased in his lifestyle, his crew and what he demands in his subordinates. An entertaining documentary which showcases his dedication to his craft, that’s why he’s “Still Single” in his mid 30’s. After the premiere, there was complimentary gourmet sushi served in front of the TIFF Lightbox for a couple of hours as the area on King St. was swamped with fans of sushi.

What a whirlwind of a day on the red carpet! Shooting Still Single, Good News, and The Lost Bus was non-stop excitement from start to finish. Good News had a more elegant tone—polished and poised, classic TIFF energy.

The energy outside Roy Thomson Hall was electric—flashbulbs everywhere, fans calling out names, that perfect mix of glamour and chaos. Still Single brought a fun, flirty vibe; the cast played it up for the cameras, clearly enjoying their moment.

Then came The Lost Bus—the crowd favorite of the night. The director and cast arrived together, clearly emotional, and it showed in every shot. The golden evening light hit just right making for a beautiful night. Long day, sore feet, but totally worth it. There’s nothing like the red carpet buzz during TIFF—it’s pure adrenaline through the lens.

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Kenya, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia | 2025 | 79m | English

Set in Umata, a futuristic African country, Memory of Princess Mumbi recounts a love triangle between a film director, an aspiring actress and a prince. Swiss-Kenyan filmmaker Damien Hauser uses artificial intelligence to create an entertaining and fun film. Interesting settings of the future. The film deals with the life and death of the beautiful Princess Mumbi (Shandra Apondi), as told by the filmmaker Kuve (a brilliant Abraham Joseph), who is threatened by his rival, the prince (Samson Waithaka).

The acting is brilliant. The interactions between the three main characters are fun and entertaining. Through the use of cinema, ranging from mockumentary to mainstream, different genres and tones are seen. It’s part romantic comedy (prince and princess) while making a declaration of love to film making and reflecting on its future.

Memory of Princess Mumbi is about the wonderful personalities of these three actors and their interactions in the intricate futuristic settings. A very unique and fun-loving film.