TORONTO – King Street usually closed to traffic and packed full of wandering festivalgoers is empty. Roy Thompson Hall is only half full for screenings, there are no throngs of people crowding outside to get in the theater and no concessions are for sale. All decisions formulated to help the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival take place with as little COVID-19 risk as possible. And yet, there was tremendous joy on the faces of Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director & Co-Head of the Festival, and Joana Vicente, Executive Director & the other Co–Head of the year-round organization as they introduced the opening night world premiere, “Dear Evan Hansen.” Following a 2020 edition that was almost completely virtual, TIFF was slowly returning to its former self.
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Bailey and Vicente, truth be told, are well aware that despite an increase in vaccinations among the Canadian population, an in-person TIFF with stars and filmmakers in attendance was a long shot even just a few months ago. In fact, it’s been only a few days since international travelers have been allowed into the country without having to agree to a mandatory quarantine (vaccination and a negative PCR test are required, however). And tonight’s premiere featured the star of the night, Ben Platt, Oscar winner and longtime festival attendee Julianne Moore, Amandla Stenberg and director Stephen Chblosky, among others. There was a red carpet. There was a standing ovation. And it was in person. For Bailey and Vicente that’s an all around win.
As for “Hansen,” Chblosky‘s adapation of the Tony-Award winning musical will have its fans and detractors. When the talent sings, the songs help the material soar. When they don’t? Well, the story just isn’t that interesting. Performance-wise, however, Platt does an incredible job of making a role he’s played hundereds of times before seem fresh and new. Does that mean Oscar attention? Possibly? SAG Awards love (and for the ensemble) seems more likely. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have written a new song that has a shot in the Original Song category. The well recorded live singing on set could also make it a Best Sound nominee. Amy Adams, Julianne Moore and Kaitlyn Dever are not only great actresses, but impressive singers as well. Not sure this is the sort of film that gets them into supporting actress conversations. Then again, if the movie is a hit and prompts an emotional reaction from audiences (a journalist in my row who is also a dad was crying at the end), anything is possible.
But TIFF is back, and on this night, that was all that mattered.
“Dear Evan Hansen” opens nationwide on September 24.