Fine Just the Way It Is - Jake Gyllenhaal and TIFF 2007

Annie Proulx has published a new collection of short stories from the west: 'Many of the stories in Fine Just the Way It Is are breathtaking in their cool depiction of the hardships of that life and the astonishing amount of stubborn resolve it takes to survive it — or just try to.'


'They are also often breathtaking in their descriptions of the harsh beauty of the landscape, utterly indifferent to humans but irresistible to those who fall in love with its canyons and peaks, its soaring skies and singing rivers. For some of Proulx's characters, that love of the wild land is deeper than anything they feel for other people.'


Back in 2005, Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Ang Lee and the rest of the Brokeback crew took their film to Toronto, where it received a rapturous and deeply emotional welcome. Jake was also there to promote Proof, but it was Brokeback Mountain that Jake still talks about. Also there in 2005 was Gavin Hood, winning the People's Choice award for Tsotsi. The screening of Brokeback took place in Toronto almost three years ago exactly, on September 10. But one year ago today, on 7 September, Jake and Gavin (and Peter) were back in Toronto to present Rendition, on what was without doubt one of the days in my life I will remember always.



Here is a link (which hopefully works...) to the press conference that took place in my hotel, Sutton Place, during which we were waiting outside to see Jake and were not disappointed. We were also lucky enough to have seats in the theatre and to see Jake and all the others take their places, not to mention having them walk past us in the foyer.






These two interviews are a curiosity to me, because they are by the same interviewer - the first interview was back in 2005 and the second in 2007 (with a hot in more ways than one Jake) for Rendition.



I also enjoyed this anecdote from Toronto (unfortunately the link has now gone but I saved it here) and E! Online: ''Jake Gyllenhaal Is a Backpacker: Don't know what that means? It's a term used to describe die-hard hip-hop fans, and I call him that because he told me he is loving the new Talib Kweli album right now. Our interview for his latest film, Rendition (costarring Reese Witherspoon), got really intense because, let's face it, it's about a suspected terrorist who's detained and tortured. To lighten the mood, I asked Jake if he still had the Indigo Girls on his iPod, something he told me several years back. Didn't see that one coming, did ya!'


Includes picture from IHJ and WDW. A big hello and wave here to the three people with whom I was fortunate enough to share the whole wonderful experience, a year ago today.
How time flies!