Borat shuts down TIFF

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Even before "it" happened, tonight's screening of Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazhakstan - or simply Borat to those in the know - would have been the single strangest Midnight Madness I had ever attended. A three hundred person rush line, a throng of people outside the Ryerson chanting "BORAT! BORAT! BORAT!", and Sacha Baron Cohen arriving on the red carpet in character... and riding a horse.

Then the projector broke.

Somehow, Borat's premiere at the Ryerson theatre tonight rivalled Death of a President for the most coveted ticket at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. But before the crowd could even really get warmed up, a mere fifteen or twenty minutes into the movie, the projector shut down.

The expected groans and cheers and good-natured ennui set in, but things buckled down and got weirder from there. Those of us in the balcony twigged to the sight of Michael Moore hustling up into the projection booth, immediately setting in motion a flurry of rumours that Moore was going to blow the doors wide open on any potential involvement in the technical mishap by the anti-Borat Kazhakstani government. Meanwhile, down below, Mysterion began entertaining the addled main-floor audience with his breed of card tricks.

A squad of experts was dispatched to the Elgin to break into the projection booth and bring back much-needed repair parts. Before long, Larry Charles - director of Borat and longtime Seinfeld maven - took the stage with Moore and began an anything-goes Q and A, one which rarely involved the film itself. Then Midnight Madness programmer Colin Geddes interviewed Borat himself, an interview in which Borat revealed the details behind his recent conviction in Europe for a sex crime performed upon a horse. And then Colin broke the really bad news: we were all going home.

An emergency second screening of Borat will be held at the Elgin at midnight on Friday... which gives all those Borat-crazed fans in the rush line another chance to catch the flick (and anyone with a ticket to tonight's screening a free pass to see those first twenty minutes again, hopefully attached to the rest of the film this time). Unfortunately, this will also mean choosing between Borat and Friday's Midnight Madness film, The Host, which looks excellent in its own right... and isn't being released domestically in just a few short weeks, which Borat is.

If tonight was any indication, TIFF '06 is going to go down in the history books.

Reader Reviews and Comments

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Oh wow, what a story! I think I'd go see The Host, especially since you had the opportunity of seeing Borat interviewed live and the film is being released domestically, but that's quite the fascinating tale to tell your friends.

Posted by: Sameer Vasta [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 8, 2006 2:23 AM

I just read a brief report on this and thought to myself, "I wonder if Matt is there..."

I knew you bring home the bacon! What a night.

Posted by: Tanja at September 8, 2006 4:15 AM

I can't believe this actually happened.

Posted by: Tim [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 8, 2006 6:53 AM

Larry Charles (director) really seemed like he was a remark away from killing someone. Michael Moore, on the other hand, went to bat for us saying that he'd been to all kinds of Toronto screenings and had never had a single problem. Finally, Borat himself compared Canadian projection systems to those in his native Kazhakstan. So it was a pot pourri of reactions.

Posted by: Matt at September 8, 2006 8:44 AM

That's my hand taking the cell phoned picture. Ahhh...fame...

Posted by: shane at September 8, 2006 9:03 AM

i was in attendance too and it was as surreal as it seems.

i also wonder how the person who spent $400 on a single ticket felt 20 minutes in....?

Posted by: misshoax at September 8, 2006 9:46 AM

Awesome story!! So good!

Posted by: jerrold at September 8, 2006 10:44 AM

People are talking about this out here in the press office, its all kinda surreal. Man, I wish I was there just to see the organized chaos.

Posted by: Sameer Vasta [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 8, 2006 11:31 AM

I cannot believe this happened. Great story.

It is tearing me up inside that I was unable to get tickets to the Borat screening. Now I have to wait until it comes otu in November. And I somehow doubt anyone will be showing up on a horse for that.

Posted by: Matt Ross at September 8, 2006 11:32 AM

Everyone is talking about this out here in the press office, its all kinda surreal. Man, I wish I was there just to see the organized chaos.

Posted by: Sameer Vasta [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 8, 2006 11:37 AM

#6 I'm the person who spent $400 on the ticket, and frankly I had a blast! I was also the person heckling Moore, with comments such as "Isn't it past your bedtime?", and "How did you like Team America?", so I got my money's worth.

Posted by: Jason Kolesnikowicz at September 8, 2006 1:55 PM

Great Success!

Posted by: sookie at September 9, 2006 1:04 AM

Christ, I wish I was there.
(chants) *BORAT! BORAT! BORAT!*

Posted by: MIke Caputo at September 9, 2006 11:16 AM

Jagshemash!
I heard Borat likened women driving in U.S. and A. to monkeys driving airplanes! NICE! Also, that Borat arrived in a horse-cart drawn by three babooshka'd women.(?) High five!
Chenqui!

Posted by: Lisa at September 9, 2006 5:25 PM

And I couldnt attand the next nights screening as I was booked elsewhere-
However I was lucky to meet with Borat later that night at the Four Seasons! Weird weird weird night- Unpredictable even by my standards!
Damn I want to see the movie!!!!

Posted by: Mysterion at September 10, 2006 11:53 AM

Matt! I can't believe it the projector broke!! what a crazy nite which i was anticipating for weeks!! long comment short, i missed firday nites second screening! i guess i'll gave to wait for the regular release.

anyhow, have a kick @ss time at the other flicks!

Posted by: dex at September 10, 2006 10:46 PM

Yes an interesting night indeed!! I was lucky enough to get to meet Borat later that night at the hotel.
Even I couldnt have predicted those outcomes
M

Posted by: Mysterion at September 11, 2006 12:25 PM

Does anyone else think Larry Charles is as hot as could be or is it just me?

Posted by: Ruly Everest at September 11, 2006 6:43 PM

ok, obviously I did not mean to do that three times. It is my first time blogging.

Posted by: Ruly Everest at September 11, 2006 6:57 PM

Ruly: it's just you.

Posted by: Matt at September 14, 2006 11:39 AM

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