The premiere of Year of the Carnivore last night was....A TON O' FUN!!! After a week-long panic-attack-almost-nervous-breakdown, my fever broke and my water broke, and we finally jettisoned our baby movie out of the plane with a parachute and it landed and bounced without a broken bone. The Toronto International Film Festival audience was warm and generous. They were responsive and really focused on the film. I love the sound of a burst of laughter and the occasional individual guffaw of the one person who connects with a single moment, just cause. It was great to see cast and crew members fly out from Vancouver: Ali Liebert, Emily Holmes, Bethany Brown and Trey Agnew, Erin Smith and Helga Ungerait plus Toronto friends Sheila McCarthy and Mark Rendall. Sadly Mark's grandpa passed away a few days ago and Mark was in Montreal for his funeral and missed the premiere. But like a trooper, he landed at the airport in downtown Toronto and made a b-line for the theatre to make the Q & A after the screening! With us in spirit was the awesome Cristin Milioti who, unfortunately couldn't make it cause she's in the middle of a play in NYC without an understudy. She is a stunner on screen. I am so proud of her.
Later at our after party at Rolly's garage, there was a lot of drinking and music making and celebration. Adam and I had fun playing songs and Mark and Buck 65 made beautiful music. Mark encouraged everyone to make ghost sounds while he played slide guitar with his flaming lighter and Rich (Buck 65) slays me every time with his verbal ferocity. So wonderful to be with friends.
This morning I woke up drunk and went back to sleep again. Tonite, I feel relief, now that the gut wrenching worry has lifted. I will take the time to savour this and remember I needn't have been so scared.
To everyone there, thanks for sharing the experience with me!
LOVE,
Sook-Yin