TORONTO — Fans crowded around the headquarters of the Toronto International Film Festival for an appearance by Taylor Swift on Friday evening, including many devotees who were unable to get tickets to the sold-out event.
Hordes of Swifties packed a portion of so-called “Festival Street” to get close to the pop star ahead of the event, which will see her debut her short film “All Too Well” on 35-millimetre film before being interviewed onstage by TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey.
“We were just hoping to get a little glimpse of her but I’m not sure,” 17-year-old Daphne Short said ahead of the event.
She and her friend weren’t able to score tickets, but as card-carrying members of their school’s Taylor Swift fan club, they figured showing up was worth a shot.
“On the subway over here, we wrote a little note that we folded up into a tiny card. So you know, the chances of getting (it to her) are pretty low but that’s fine,” Short said. “It was just fun and killed the time on our commute.”
They folded up the letter, which congratulates Swift on her short film, and wrote “for: Taylor Swift” on the front underneath a picture they drew of a fairy.
Some in the crowd were decked out in Swift’s merchandise, while others carried poster boards with messages scrawled on them.
One sign proclaimed “Taylor is my hero,” while another said “Taylor we came from Mexico just to see you!”
The red carpet wasn’t publicly accessible, but Swift came out to greet her fans and pose for selfies ahead of the show.
Inside, Swift introduced the film to great fanfare.
“We’re proud of you!” one fan shouted in the middle of her introduction.
“Oh, thank you,” Swift responded. “I’m proud of you, too.”
Swift appeared alongside the short film’s star, Sadie Sink, who also stars in “The Whale,” which has its North American premiere at TIFF on Sunday.
“She’s the heartbeat of the film,” Swift said of Sink. “She’s the heartbreak of the short film, and I’m just really lucky to be here talking to you at all.”
The 13-minute short film, which debuted last November, brought visuals to the extended version of the song “All Too Well” from her re-recorded album “Red (Taylor’s Version).”
This is the first time it’s being shown on 35-millimetre film, which is considered the cinematic gold standard.
-With files from Cassandra Szklarski
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2022.
