Canadian Film Lounge at TIFF 2012
Author: Katherine Brodsky | Posted on Monday, 06 August 2012
Discover First Weekend Club's 'Canadian Film Lounge' at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival...
First Weekend Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting great Canadian films, will be hosting its third "Canadian Film Lounge" at this year's TIFF at the glamorous Royal York Fairmont Hotel. The Lounge will serve as a swanky gift lounge and hub for filmmakers, talent, industry visionaries, and media VIPs. By invitation only, The Canadian Film Lounge is the perfect place to unwind in style, sip drinks, discuss films, receive great swag, and most importantly: Discover Canadian films playing at the festival.
Guests will also be able to enjoy complimentary services at the 'Beauty Bar' where stylists from Fiorio Salon will give guests red carpet ready hair, make up artists from Vasanti Cosmetics will be doing makeup touch-ups and Wright Spa will ease away any tension with soothing massages and treatments for tired feet.
Since no film festival experience is complete without “swag,” the Lounge will showcase an assortment of unique companies and products. Guests will get to explore and customize their own gift bags.
For inquiries, contact lounge producer at: katherine[at]random-minds.com
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Here are some of the companies that will be featured in this year's Canadian Film Lounge...
Created by three Canadian women and quickly becoming one of the most sought after Canadian-made beauty brands, Vasanti Cosmetics will have you looking and feeling radiant! Vasanti’s unique product range gets you glowing with skincare formulated to nurture and revive your complexion and a full range of makeup and foundation shades that brighten your skin, whether it’s porcelain or deep.
OUR PHILOSOPHY: We set out to develop a beauty brand with a focus on skin enhancing products that could meet the diverse needs of our customers world-wide. With all of our makeup and skincare products manufactured in Canada, our formulas are engineered to add radiance to the skin, look and feel natural and are formulated with the highest quality raw materials. As our brand continues to grow and evolve, our customers are our source of inspiration! We want everyone to celebrate their natural beauty, embrace their unique characteristics and find what they love about their looks. vasanticosmetics.com
The Classic Edge Shaving Store, a traditional men's grooming supplier specializing in straight razors and wet shaving products, has everything you need to look sharp.
Bringing men high end collectibles such as over 100-year-old Vintage Straight Razors is what makes Classic Edge different from any other shaving store on the World Wide Web. Our job is to make you look and feel better about yourself and enjoy the process! We strive to have products not available anywhere else in the world and deal with Artisans from every part of the globe. From our beautiful china white shaving scuttles made in the U.K, to our handmade leather strops made in the USA, we will always be one step ahead. Brands we carry include Dovo of Germany, Dr. Harris of England, Feather of Japan, Boker of Germany, Theirs Issard from France, Edwin Jagger of England and many more products for the distinguished gentleman. We also offer sharpening services for the straight razors we sell. We receive razors for honing from as far as South Africa, Dubai, France, Japan. classicedge.ca
In 1867, Pavel Michailovitch Kousmichoff founded Kousmichoff Tea Company in St Petersburg. The company became one of the most prominent tea houses in Russia and was official supplier to the Russian Court through to 1917. Established in France since 1920 and one of the last remaining Russian purveyors of tea, the company markets an exclusive range of blends under the Kusmi name. Tea lovers around the world appreciate the exceptional Kusmi selection of meticulously sourced green and black—plain or flavoured—teas which come in tins designed to evoke the original Baroque-style labels.
Sold throughout the world, Kusmi teas are imported exclusively in Canada by T. Importation Canada. The company markets 90 varieties of tea including classics such as Darjeeling and Earl Grey, as well as original Russian blends created by the company’s founder, which include Prince Vladimir, Troika and Anastasia.
Kusmi teas are sold at Kusmi boutique in Montreal, 3875 Saint-Denis street, and in some 150 fine food and specialty shops across Québec. All are loose leaf and come in metal tins which are as decorative as they are colourful. kusmi.ca
Keggy emerged onto the fashion scene in 2005, introducing a belt collection that quickly caught the Hollywood eye. Keggy, an instant staple belt brand to A-listers like Jessica Biel, Teri Hatcher and Jessica Alba, expanded into outerwear and jewelry.
Though Keggy’s loyal celebrity following has helped put its name on the map, Keggy's designs have a universal appeal that has most recently been recognized by QVC. Joining the ranks of some of the most premiere designers in the world, Keggy debuted a belt collection made especially for QVC this March and April.
In response to great demand for more Keggy, designer Kerry Leikus launched Keggy Guy this year. The Keggy men’s belt has been touted as the ideal men’s accessory for 2012 as it strikes the perfect balance between casual and classic style.
To read more about Keggy’s latest news, please follow our blog at keggystyle.wordpress.com
Canadian yoga and fitness apparel company, Lolë, is inspired by well-being and offers women a wide range of innovative, functional clothing to suit an active lifestyle. Lolë promotes well-being through a fun and healthy lifestyle and created the Meet-up Program: free fitness activities in parks, led by their ambassadors, who are renowned experts at Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, urban fitness and more. Lolë stands for “Live Out Loud Everyday” and born in Montreal in 2002, apparel is now available at over 1,200 outlets in North America, at Lolë Ateliers (own branded stores) in Canada, and more recently in Europe. Learn more about Lolë at lolewomen.com or facebook.com/lolewomen
Sappho Organics offer beautiful Eco ~ luxurious makeup. Our liquid foundations are preserved with essential oils and are paraben, phthalate, gluten, dimethicone, mineral oil, dye and talc free. Our pressed shadows are pressed with certified organic jojoba oil and our brushes are cruelty free. Both makeup artist and celebrity endorsed we are committed to offering exceptionally beautiful and safe products and to remain a positive presence in this world. Dedicated to artists everywhere ~ we hope you enjoy our products. sapphocosmetics.com
Welcome to GreenShag experience. We specialize in dressing the urban man in fabulously tailored bespoke suits, shirts, accessories, cufflinks, & jewelry. Old-school craftsmanship + wit makes our World turn. It is a privilege to call Toronto's Queen West home surrounded by creative businesses like ourselves. Remember...A good Shag will always get you noticed. greenshag.com
We at Caramoomel Natural Fine Food Creations take pride in and delight in creating delicious, gourmet fare. From Apple Butters and Ice Wine Jelly, to our signature Veggie Caviar or Dulce de Leche Chocolate Fondue Spreads - Our spreads and sauces are made with tree-ripened fruits, hand-picked vegetables organically grown at our farm in Kelowna, BC Canada. Also, distinctive Okanagan Wines, pure 100% Canadian milk, the highest quality chocolate & spices are our ingredients. Caramoomel Natural Fine Food Creations are spreads and sauces you will love to taste again & again as well as share with friends and family. caramoomel.com
Flexitol Heel Magic helps hydrate dry, cracked heels and feet. This easy to use, no mess stick format contains a unique blend of emollients and moisturizers including Urea, Shea Butter, Lanolin and Olive Oil in a highly concentrated moisturizing base. Visit Website
Glymm.com BRINGS beauty to your door by offering a unique beauty box subscription, an online beauty boutique and beauty community to support cosmetic addiction.
The Montreal-based cosmetics company brings its members deluxe samples of the latest beauty products which will revolutionize your beauty regime. For only $12/month or $120/year, Glymm offers a carefully curated Beauty Box directly to thousands of doorsteps every month. The beauty box is filled to the brim with 4-5 deluxe-sized, luxury beauty samples from high-end brands. These samples are hand-selected by Glymm’s panel of experts according to each member’s personal Beauty Profile. So far, the brands that Glymm promises are sure to delight; showcasing luxury, niche, and emerging brands such as Cargo, YSL, Murad, John Masters Organics, Butter London, Gucci, Anastasia, St. Tropez, Atelier Cologne, Caudalie and many more. glymm.com
Stella Margaritis has always been artistic/creative. Although her original intention was to become an interior designer, having had some difficulty focusing on that goal, she took off to Greece instead. There, she worked in a hotel and painting signs and murals for the local bars, hotels, etc. She had also studied pottery with Lynn Fisher. Once the tourist season was over, she got a job in a salon and discovered that working with hair was not so different from sculpting. She returned to Canada and continued learning and working as a hair stylist. But hair wasn’t enough, so Margaritis decided to study makeup too. She had been working in fashion as a hair stylist and makeup artist for around 10 years, when she made the shift into film & television. While working on a children’s series, instead of buying hair accessories for some of the characters, she decided to make them. Just like that, a jewelry business was born. Margaritis likes to work with rare and semi precious stones/crystals, due to their colour range and energetic/metaphysical qualities, as well as pearls, wood, silver, gold, and other organic materials. She is drawn to using vintage components and repurposing old silver. Some of her jewelry will soon be making a guest appearance in the comedy, “Sex After Kids,” which has been filmed in Toronto
The We-Vibe is the most popular rechargeable vibrator for couples in the world, with over 2 million people using it to inject more fun and intimacy into their loving relationships. The We-Vibe is already on every continent and in over 50 countries, available through thousands of drug stores, luxury boutiques and adult stores. Worn while making love, the We-Vibe 3 boasts more power, a fully waterproof design, a convenient wireless remote control, and a wireless charger base that doubles as a discreet, perfect-for-travel storage case. We-Vibe 3 brings the good vibrations of the world's #1 vibrator for couples to a whole new level of fun! we-vibe.com
Now you can have bright colored hair without the commitment. New Splat Washables lets you add fun, bright colors to your hair that washes out easily with shampoo. With a unique applicator brush for easy application, simply brush on hair - add hair spray and blow dry for extra hold. Available in four hot colors so you can change it up every day. Visit Website
The only rinse of its kind that uses a patented zinc-ion technology to not only freshen your breath but to prevent the bad breath from coming back for up to 12 hours. This clever invention works on two levels: #1 is an odor eliminator for any existing bad breath and #2 contains zinc which acts as a germ blocker to keep odors and protein particles away. smartmouth.com
Cromwell and Cruthers Men’s Shaving Oil was imagined out of the desire to bring an affordable, natural, shave cream alternative to the public. Developed in 2001 by McCaughey Consumer Products(MCP), a family company based in Burlington, Ontario, MCP saw great demand for something different than the generic shave foams, creams and gels thus Cromwell & Cruthers Men’s All Natural Shaving Oil was born. Developed and manufactured in Canada by proven professionals, Cromwell and Cruthers maintains a strict dedication to using only quality, natural ingredients in order to deliver an unmatched shave. Available on retail shelves across Canada. cromwell-cruthers.com
Cilque [s•ilk] continually works towards offering it's customers a luxurious experience, which encompasses a host of benefits. Explore the alluring world of 100% silk sheets and apparel - a bedroom essential offered in chic styles and contemporary colours. Add glamour to the bedroom and indulge in lavish luxury. Founded in 2010, in Toronto, and sold exclusively at cilque.com.
A multi-category children’s entertainment company since 1994, Spin Master has been designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing consumer products for children around the world and is recognized as a global growth leader within the toy industry. Spin Master is best known for such popular brands as boy’s action phenomena and 2010 Boys Toy of the Year winner Bakugan Battle Brawlers™, and award-winning brands Air Hogs®, Aquadoodle™, Tech Deck™, Moon Sand™, Liv™, and Zoobles™. The company has also marked an entry into children’s media with the launch of Spin Master Entertainment, a subsidiary focusing on the design, development and production of television and other media properties. Spin Master employs over 900 people with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Mexico, Munich, Italy, Spain and central Europe. spinmaster.com
Dressed’n-Case is the world's first and only handbag and beach cover-up all-in-one. Now women everywhere can carry their necessities with them on the beach and be ready to cover up in style when its time to head to the bar or restaurant. Dressed’n-Case, converts from bag to dress in 5 simple steps, and can be worn six versatile ways. It is made out of an exclusive designed fabric that is wrinkle-free, quick dry and feels amazing. Dressed’n-Case, is available in 5 prints plus black, from extra small to extra large, and in a shorter or longer length.
You may also recognize Dressed’n-Case from its Dragon’s Den appearance where it managed to slay at least one dragon: Jim Treliving. dressedncase.com.
M Thompson Chocolates – gourmet chocolates and confections made by hand using only the finest natural ingredients, time-honoured traditional techniques and the highest quality couverture chocolate. mthompsonchocolates.com
Official Cookies...
DesignerCookies (designercookies.ca) creates sugar cookies in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. Since opening her cookie business in 2010, owner-cookie artist Alyson Neufeld, has created thousands of beautiful sugar cookies that have found their way into parties and events across Western Canada. All DesignerCookies creations are made from scratch with quality ingredients. For more information on how to bump the wow factor at your next event, contact Alyson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
AT THE BEAUTY BAR... 
The Fiorio philosophy is about styling hair that’s realistic and beautiful. Be it natural, sleek, or tousled and sexy, it’s always simple to wear, stunning to look at and easy to manage. With hair as an integral part of our personal identity, our goal at Fiorio is to create successful haircuts that work for the individual.
Fiorio, now in its 36th year of business, was recently rated best salon in Canada by the readers of Fashion Magazine, and has been a featured as a resident beauty expert on CityTV's Cityline for over 19 years. With 9 salons, 7 spas, a prestigious Beauty Academy and a boutique product line, Fiorio International is proud to be one of Canada's top beauty providers. fiorio.com
The Wright Spa Mobile Beauty Services is an unique traveling day beauty spa specializing in wedding day beauty, corporate and private spa parties. The Wright Spa brings full-service spa amenities to your place, added with the “wright” spa services for your personal or group events. Our network of top spa professionals including aestheticians, massage therapists, manicurists, hair stylists and makeup artists are all fully licensed to guarantee service satisfaction. We have spa party facilities in the District of Colombia for your convenience.
We care about your health. We use only all-natural products with no preservatives, no harsh chemicals. wrightspa.com
THE FASHION CAPSULE
The Toronto International Film Fest is about movies but there is no denying that fashion on the red carpet can be almost as important. The Fashion Capsule is specifically aimed at providing Canadian stars and filmmakers with an opportunity to wear Canadian designed jewellery and accessories to their premieres, on the red carpet, and to the endless film parties.
Making a special appearance are:
Irit Sorokin Designs (iritsorokindesigns.com)
Heydey Design (heydaydesign.ca)
Gaya (gaya.ca)
Marian+ Hazel (marianandhazel.com)
Phaulet (phaulet.com)
Authentique Jewelry (authentiquejewelry.com)
Keltie Leanne Designs (keltieleannedesigns.com)
Clutch Designs (clutchdesigns.com)
Inspyred Creations (inspyredcreations.ca)
Cinder + Sage Designs (cinderandsage.com)
Burlap Sac (burlapsac.com)
Lana Betty (lanabetty.com)
Little treats by: Designer Cookies (designercookies.ca)
Host Hotel:
Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, The Fairmont Royal York is within walking distance to the city’s main convention centre, the business and theatre districts, and the best shopping and dining. Nearby attractions include the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Hockey Hall of Fame, Chinatown, St. Lawrence Market, Harbourfront and the Air Canada Centre, Toronto’s busiest sports and entertainment complex. Union Station, the subway and three kilometers of shops and services are connected to the hotel by the city’s extensive underground PATH system. With its award-winning cuisine, elegance and heritage, culture and custom, and world-renowned Fairmont service, The Fairmont Royal York has been Toronto’s landmark hotel since 1929.
Special Thank you to (in-kind sponsors):
Media Partner:
Vitamin Daily
The "Canadian Film Lounge" is produced by...
Sometimes the most (seemingly) random people, thoughts, and ideas meet together to bring about extraordinary things. That is the philosophy behind Random Minds PR, a boutique agency that specializes in publicity, event planning, and copywriting services for the entertainment and lifestyle industries.
Our campaigns are anything but linear. By combining traditional media campaigns with social, online, and grassroots outreach, we get our clients the attention they deserve across all platforms. Working with clients across Canada, US, and the UK to create drool-worthy "buzz," we ensure that our clients regularly make headlines! Visit: random-minds.com
The 'Canadian Film Lounge' is sponsored by FWC's long time partner...
Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to developing and promoting the Canadian audiovisual industry. Telefilm provides financial support to the private sector to create distinctively Canadian products that appeal to domestic and international audiences. Telefilm also administers the Canada Media Fund. Visit telefilm.gc.ca.
About FIRST WEEKEND CLUB
Founded in February of 2003, First Weekend Club is a non-profit organization and cross-Canada movie club dedicated to promoting and raising awareness for great Canadian films. Through grassroots efforts such as Q&As with talent, contests, premiere parties, advance screenings, film alerts, and much more, First Weekend Club builds audiences for Canada cinema and creates a "buzz" for the crucial First Weekend of a film's release. First Weekend Club encourages members to attend opening weekend screenings in order to keep Canadian films in theatres longer by building awareness and strong box office for great Canadian cinema. Hence the name, First Weekend Club. Currently, FWC has branches in cities across Canada including Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Victoria, Ottawa, Halifax, and Montreal. However, we have members all around the world.
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