An grand celebration of cinema and style is coming to the city as one of Toronto’s biggest summer traditions prepares for a star-studded finale.
Toronto’s Distillery District has been once again taken over by the Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF), transforming its cobblestone streets into an open-air cinema village. This year, the festival’s signature Lavazza IncluCity event will be wrapping up its milestone anniversary in the most glamorous way possible by bringing Hollywood royalty and an iconic screen legend straight to Toronto.
Hollywood favourite Patrick Dempsey will be arriving in town as the Guest of Honour for the highly anticipated ICFF Closing Gala on July 17. Fans can watch as the Grey’s Anatomy star takes the stage at the TIFF Lightbox for an intimate, in-depth conversation mapping out his decades-long career. Following the on-screen deep dive, the celebration will shift into high gear with a lavish, black-tie gala dinner hosted at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto.
The star power doesn’t stop there; renowned Italian cinema icon Ornella Muti will also be making special appearances during the closing festivities. The legendary actress is set to join the celebration alongside the highly anticipated Canadian premiere of Brunello: The Gracious Visionary, directed by Academy Award winner Giuseppe Tornatore, before joining the final closing events wrapped up on July 19.
While the gala evening offers a premium taste of the festival’s luxury, the entire multi-week celebration caters to cultural enthusiasts of all kinds. From sitting on the festival’s signature open-air couches to exploring cutting-edge AI art exhibitions and outdoor soccer fan zones, it’s an incredible opportunity to experience the very best of international art right in our own backyard.
The premier ICFF Closing Gala will take place on Friday, July 17, with doors at the TIFF Lightbox scheduled to open at 5:45 p.m. before moving over to the Ritz-Carlton for dinner.
You can find the full lineup, event schedule, and ticketing packages on the official ICFF website.
