They don’t tell you what you’re getting yourself into when you sign up for press and photo accreditation at TIFF, and stepping into my second year alongside our talented team, I prepared myself to embrace the chaos. You don’t know who’s on what carpet and where you’re heading until the night before the screening. You have no idea if everyone will show up, who you’ll have the chance to speak with, and in terms of photography and videography — my sole focus this festival — whether you’ll be able to get “the shot” as the talent passes by.
The opportunities to get up close and personal with world class acting, directing, and writing talent from around the globe is fleeting, but being able to capture those moments makes it all worthwhile. The first five days of the Toronto International Film Fest have been good to us; past and upcoming cover stars have walked the carpet, as have actors I grew up watching and new rising talents with remarkable skill. TIFF brings everyone to the table.
The festival kicked off with Josh Hartnett (our September SHARP cover star) on the carpet for his upcoming miniseries Below, along with Charlie Heaton, Mackenzie Davis, and Ruby Stokes. As an added surprise, Canadian comedy legend Mary Walsh made an appearance on the carpet, appearing to surprise Josh and others. At this time, Mary isn’t listed in the project’s credits, though it does beg more questions.
Of the larger films landing at TIFF, American Hostage features another SHARP cover alum, Jon Hamm, alongside Giovanni Ribisi and several others. It’s hard to deny that Hamm seemed a bit overwhelmed by the red carpet energy, but considering he rushed back to LA for the Emmys to then appear with his wife and reveal that she’s now pregnant, it’s easy to understand (and relate to) the feeling.
Stay tuned for more, and follow SHARP on Instagram for more live updates from TIFF 2026.
