Toronto film festival to resume Wednesday

TORONTO, CANADA (AP) -- The Toronto International Film Festival was thrown into confusion Tuesday as those involved tried to comprehend the horror of terrorist attacks in the United States.

At festival headquarters at the midtown Park Hyatt Hotel, news conferences featuring film directors and stars were cancelled for the day, as well as screenings for the press and public. In the media room, staff and reporters sat on the floor, crowded around a TV set watching events unfold. "Obviously, it's very difficult - a festival is all about celebration," said Piers Handling, director of the festival.
"The pall that this has cast over not just this event, but everything in the world at this point in time is such that you wonder at what point we will reach a state of normality in terms of entertainment and sports events, etc., etc."

Later in the day, Handling announced that festival screenings would resume Wednesday. But a social function, Celluloid Celebration, was cancelled. Organizers are trying to reschedule Tuesday's films, including 28 first public screenings and 13 press and industry screenings.

Handling said everyone is trying to "gauge the temperature" of what's going on around the world, and the festival would be "sensitive to events as they unfold."

Security will also be beefed up at festival events, he said.

Festival officials haven't heard of any stars, celebrities or industry people cancelling their appearances at the festival, Handling said. But they do know that a number of people are stranded in the U.S. and can't make it to Canada because of cancelled flights, he said.
"We've got to keep moving, man. Keep marching -- a lot of work went into these movies, a lot of time, a lot of money," said comedian Pauly Shore, who's attending the festival.
"And I think that they should continue it - not today, maybe tomorrow. Today's a bad day."

Meanwhile, hotels around the city said they were trying to make room for stars and visiting guests who cannot return to the United States because flights have been postponed.

The festival, which was to include the screenings of 326 films, is considered to be the most important and influential film festival in North America.