In a gala dinner held on September 9 amid Toronto International Film Festival’s unspooling premieres, festival paid tribute to Joaquin Phoenix, Meryl Streep, filmmaker Taika Waititi and cinematographer Roger Deakins. With city teeming with stars in town for festival, TIFF this year added a star-studded fundraising dinner that coincided with some of its most anticipated premieres. Streep stopped by just as her financial industry satire “ Laundromat” was screening. Phoenix’s “Joker” was simultaneously making its rth American debut just blocks away. Phoenix, who rushed up to st before Willem Dafoe had finished his introduction to actor, said he had intended just to “make a bunch of tasteless jokes at my expense.” But Phoenix said he was moved by clip reel of his films that played before his speech.

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Phoenix remembers his bror

“When I was 15 or 16 my bror River (Phoenix) came home from work and he had a VHS copy of a movie called ‘Raging Bull’ and he sat me down and made me watch it,” said Phoenix of his bror who died in 1993. “And next day he woke me up, and he made me watch it again. And he said, ‘You’re going to start acting again, this is what you’re going to do. He didn’t ask me, he told me. And I am indebted to him for that because acting has given me such an incredible life,” said Phoenix.
Joker

“Joker” arrived in Toronto fresh off its Golden Lion win Saturday at Venice Film Festival. Earlier in day, Phoenix visited painted wall murals advocating for veganism at a Toronto subway station. Later, after film screened Monday evening at TIFF, Phoenix ackwledged deciding to take on role of Joker “wasn’t an easy decision at first.”

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“But n re was something that was drawing me toward it,” he said. “It just evolved as we worked toger. It started becoming something more than I anticipated. It was one of greatest experiences of my career.”

Meryl Streep encourd performers

At tribute gala, Streep encourd fellow performers to choose a role with social mindfulness.

“Every artist here has made a choice about material y’ve done and y’ve decided to contribute — eir by default or intention,” said Streep. “Even though we didn’t create moment we find ourselves in, we can’t cure it individually, we can’t control it, but we sure can contribute to its toxicity.”

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Waititi hored for life's work

Waititi, whose “Jojo Rabbit” premiered Sunday in Toronto, received festival’s Ebert Director Award, named after late film critic Roger Ebert. Deakins, who photographed “ Goldfinch” (also a Sunday premiere at TIFF) was hored for his life’s work. French filmmaker Mati Diop (“Atlantics”) was given Mary Pickford Award for an emerging, groundbreaking female talent. Jeff Skoll and David Linde’s production company Participant was celebrated with festival’s award for social impact.

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(With inputs from AP)