Hollywood celebrities gather at HFPA/InStyle party in Toronto

Los Angeles — Welcome to the debut of the Hollywood Insider! This weekly column brings you the latest news in Hollywood, entertainment, the Filipino community overseas as well as the hottest trends, fashion and restaurants not only in Hollywood but around the world. So join me in this exciting journey!

Our first stop? The Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and InStyle’s annual celebration of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Presented by Renault Nissan and produced by Spinning Top, the hotel looked extra beautiful thanks to Frank Rea of Forget Me Not Flowers of Oakville, California, who designed the venue.

 

Hollywood’s biggest names such as Nicole Kidman, George Clooney, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell, Octavia Spencer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Brie Larson, James Franco, Emma Stone, Sarah Silverman among others were in attendance.

At the event, the HFPA announced the first ever accolade for short films in its 75th history. The “HFPA & TIFF Short Film Award” had members acting as jurors, choosing their top two short films.

 

“It is a privilege to launch the ‘Hollywood Foreign Press Association & TIFF Short Film Award,’” said Michele Maheux, Executive Director and COO of TIFF. “It is essential to fund and mentor the next generation of storytellers and the HFPA are the perfect partner to push that support to the next level.”

The membership awarded Lee Filipovsky with the Best Film prize for the very funny Fluffy, while Theodore Ushev received the runner up prize for the well-crafted animation Blind Vaysha.

Both titles were finalists in TIFF’s Canada’ Top Ten Shorts category. The winning filmmakers received a grant for $15,000 and $5,000, respectively, as well as a mentorship to further their passion for cinema provided by the HFPA.

“Fluffy” is about a family who is dealing with the emotional and logistical stress of packing up their lives to emigrate from Serbia to Canada and their 10-year-old daughter winning an impossibly large stuffed teddy bear.

“Blind Vaysha” is a vivid and gorgeously crafted 3D fable about living in the present. It is about a girl who is tormented by two irreconcilable realities with one of her eye that can only see the past and one eye that can only see the future.

These awards are part of the special events celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Globe Awards, and are the first-ever film prizes awarded by the HFPA outside the scope of the Golden Globes.

Meher Tatna, President of the HFPA, spoke to the event attendees. “We are thrilled to present the first HFPA Award for the best short at the Toronto International Film Festival. The HFPA’s mission is to foster greater international understanding through film, and support young and emerging filmmakers. These awards exemplify what we strive for. Congratulations to our winners!”

 

All through the party, guests mixed and mingled while enjoying prosciutto rolls with fig, arugula and chevre, crab cake with mango aioli, a fine selection of meats including a succulent beef wellington, fresh sushi from the live station, and much more.

As the evening was underway, they continued to laugh and dance while enjoying champagne and an assortment of decadent desserts including truffles, petits fours, crepes suzettes, dark chocolate dipped strawberries, and more.

 

Filipino-Canadians Samantha East and Michael Acedillo, who were also in attendance, enjoyed the celebration and stayed until the wee hours of the night.

Other celebrities in attendance included Aaron Sorkin, Alan Cumming, Armie Hammer, Cuba Gooding Jr., Dave Franco, Elle Fanning, Elisabeth Moss, Emma Roberts, Margot Robbie, Melissa Leo, Tatiana Maslany, Willem Defoe, Richard Jenkins among others.

Here’s looking forward to the next TIFF!

Janet Susan R. Nepales is the first and only Filipina journalist member in the 70 plus-year history of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. She was recently elected as its Executive Secretary.

Nepales is an award-winning journalist who has won in several competitions by the Los Angeles Press Club, the Philippine American Press Club among others.

Based in Los Angeles, Nepales is a University of Santo Tomas Journalism cum laude graduate who was recognized by the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) as one of the “100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the U.S.” in 2012 and one of the “100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the World” in 2013.

She is a co-author of the first FWN book entitled “DISRUPT: Filipina Women: Proud. Loud. Leading Without A Doubt.” She is married to writer Ruben V. Nepales, who is also an HFPA member. She has two daughters, Bianca Nicole and Rafaella Angelica.