The Toronto International Film Festival marked a poignant in-person return on Thursday evening, with the opening night title “Dear Evan Hansen.” Before a single frame of the cathartic tearjerker st…
was screened, festival co-heads Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente primed the room at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall. Normally packed to the gills in pre-COVID times, the auditorium was a barely at 50% capacity thanks to social distancing measures in view of the ongoing pandemic.
Mayor of Toronto John Tory then surprised the crowd with an off-the-cuff speech, at one point nearly overcome, saying “This is the greatest city in the greatest country in the world, and we’re stronger than ever.”Platt introduced the film with supporting cast Amandla Stenberg, Julianne Moore, Danny Pino, Colton Ryan and Nik Dodani.
Audience members liberally embraced each other and wiped at their eyes during dramatic numbers, and shared glances and laughs as well. The reaction could well have been an advertisement for the moviegoing experience in general. After credits rolled and the cast and filmmakers took to the stage for a Q&A, Platt received a standing ovation.
“Whatever tragedies we may have experienced In our families over the last year, we are alive. We are here. The movie rocks,” he said.
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