By Siobhán Rich for Mr. Will Wong

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here so that means the Toronto Irish Film Festival (TIRFF) is ready to take over the TIFF Bell Lightbox. From March 4th through 6th, the 6th annual installment of the Festival will boast an array Features, Documentaries and Shorts sure to thrill Film Lovers. This year, TIRFF will also be introducing a great new family-friendly addition to the lineup with the Best of Irish Animation.

Here are some day-by-day highlights to guide you through this busy weekend of Irish Film.

The festival kicks off Friday night with Mark Noonan’s You’re Ugly Too. Will (Game of Thrones’ Aidan Gillen) has just been released from prison on compassionate grounds so that he can care for his recently orphaned niece, Stacey (Lauren Kinsella). In order to rebuild a lost sense of family, the two head to the Irish Midlands and a caravan park where they are confronted with problems neither could have anticipated. On top of all that, Stacey’s very defined sense of right and wrong compels her to unravel the mystery behind her uncle’s incarceration before she can fully accept him into her life. This beautifully shot film will have the audience aching for the characters on screen to find the missing pieces of themselves in each other.

Friday, March 4, 2016 7:00 p.m.
Director Mark Noonan will be in attendance for a Q&A.

On Saturday, tune in for some Canadian history with the documentary, Forgotten. In the early part of the 20th century, over 100,000 children were brought to Canada and forced into indentured servitude. What happened to these children once they arrived in Canada and how their current families have come to terms with the past are just some of the issues sensitively addressed in this touching film.

Saturday, March 5, 2016 4:00 p.m.
Director Eleanor McGrath will be in attendance for a Q&A.

Sunday, before you bid slán a bhaile to TIRFF, make sure you see the fantastic Deoch An Dorais (Name Your Poison). This Gaelic language documentary (with English subtitles) tells the unbelievable tale of Mike Malloy, an Irish immigrant in New York City, who proved to be very difficult to kill. After a group of men took out two life insurance policies on the Irishman, the seemingly indestructible Malloy survived multiple assassination attempts ranging from simple poison to vehicular manslaughter. Deoch An Dorais is an incredible tale that will leave audiences agog and haunted by the story of “the man who wouldn’t die.”

Sunday, March 6, 2016 4:00 p.m.
Director Paddy Hayes will be in attendance for a Q&A.

The Toronto Irish Film Festival runs from March 4-6 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

For more information, check out TIRFF’s website http://toirishfilmfest.com.

Dufflet Pastries has stamped itself a Toronto institution since 1975 and for years we’ve adored their cakes.  The child of Queen of Cake® Dufflet Rosenberg was birthed out of her v. own kitchen, eventually shaping our ideas of Cakes and Pastries. If you’ve visited a local upscale grocers like Longo’s or Whole Foods, you probably already have tasted their greatness without even realizing it. Their three cafe locations across Canada (Yonge + Eglinton, Queen + Bathurst and Queen + Woodbine) continue to thrive and if you were to ask me where to get the perfect Birthday Cake, you would be hard pressed to find a more established, trustworthy bakery in the City.

Whether it be Billy‘s first Birthday Cake (a Raspberry Vanilla Charlotte), a Vanilla Layer Cake for my first Album Release party, a Pink Velvet  which I pop by occasionally for an individual slice… or my all time favourite, or their Lemon Coconut Cake, Dufflet has and will be a part of our future celebrations and life milestones to come.

Take a walk down memory lane with us!

Right in time for Easter, Dufflet Pastries soon will introduce its new menu offerings.  How do these sound?

LIME COCONUT MOUSSE MINIS

MANGO RASPBERRY MOUSSE MINIS

SPRING BASKET CAKE

SEASONAL BUTTER SHAPE COOKIES

Sorry (not sorry!) to get you salivating!

The Queen of Cake® and Movie Prince of Toronto join together to give Readers in the Greater Toronto Area a chance to win a $45 Gift Card to experience a cake by the one and only Dufflet Pastries!  Dufflet has been there with us through thick and thin and we want it to be part of your memories too!

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook! Click “share” from there for an extra chance or Tweet the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/dufflet @MRWILLW wants us to #win a $45 Gift Card to experience a Cake by @TourDeDufflet!

G’luck.

Visit Dufflet Pastries for more.

“Like” Dufflet Pastries on Facebook!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Finally a Trailer for FINDING DORY! We’ve waited 13 years for this! This follow-up to Finding Nemo has our favourite blue tang searching for answers about her past with friends Nemo and Marlin!

Watch the Trailer:

DISNEY•PIXAR release FINDING DORY Friday, June 17, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)

Elevation Pictures + Mr. Will want to get you elevated! We want Readers across Canada to win copies of Academy Award-nominated ROOM on Blu-ray Combo Pack!

ROOM
To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . It’s where he was born, it’s where heand his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely inthe wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it’s the prison where she has been held forseven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him inthis eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack‘s curiosity building alongside herown desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.

In additon to being nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, ROOM, directed by Lenny Abrahamson, also is up for Directing, Actress and Adapted Screenplay. You must witness breakthrough performances by Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay.

ROOM hits stores and is on-demand Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Date to be confirmed. Brie Larson, Joan Allen and Jacob Tremblay star.

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Canadian Readers only please.

G’LUCK.

This Giveaway brought to us by Elevation Pictures.

(Photo credit: Elevation Pictures)

SPOTLIGHT, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson and Alejandro González Iñárritu emerge as the big winners of the 88th Academy Awards, marking a finale to Awards Season in Hollywood.

Despite pundit predictions pointing to The Big Short winning Best Picture based on its Producers Guild Awards win, it would be Toronto-filmed SPOTLIGHT to take the coveted golden statue. The Catholic molestation scandal Drama also won for Best Original Screenplay.

With the acting categories being less open to discussion, we would witness Leonardo DiCaprio’s long overdue Best Actor win in a celebrated career with several close calls. He in addition, THE REVENANT Director Alejandro González Iñárritu would get recognized for the Film, which was seen also as a legitimate contender to take Best Picture. Filming for the Movie took place in Alberta.

Brie Larson after building Oscar buzz during the festival circuit for ROOM, became a clear frontrunner in an Awards Season trail which saw her win virtually every Lead Actress award including the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, SAGs, Critics’ Choice Awards and many more. The Actress who filmed her Oscar-winning role in Toronto, next can be seen in Skull Island, the latest in the King Kong franchise.

Swedish star Alicia Vikander quickly has risen in Hollywood after multiple plum roles of late including Ex_Machina (winner for Visual Effects), wins Supporting Actress for The Danish Girl. After seeing her Friday night in Hollywood, we whispered to her “You’re so winning on Sunday”, to which she replied back “You’re so sweet! Thank you!”.

Mark Rylance would win Supporting Actor shining brightest in Steven Spielberg’s Cold War Drama BRIDGE OF SPIES.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD dominated the technical categories, winning Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Costume Design, Hair & Makeup, Production Design and Editing.

Chris Rock had many debating just how controversial he would go on #OSCARSSOWHITE and he would not disappoint as host with a biting opening which snapped at Hollywood, which he says flat-out is “racist” and also those who would boycott the Oscars this year due to a lack of diversity. He jokes about Jada Pinkett-Smith‘s refusal to attend this year comparing it to Rihanna‘s panties, “Neither of us were invited!”. He also makes valid points about dividing actors by sex having categories for Actor and Actress stating there shouldn’t be a separation. He also points to progress, calling Michael B. Jordan‘s success in Creed, or as he says “Black Rocky“, and the fact that the race of nominees at Awards shows being a hot topic also is indicative of positive change as black people were dealing with more important concerns like social rights issues in the decades leading to this.

In addition to playing a pivotal role in the filming of SPOTLIGHT and ROOM, Canada would win for Short Documentary with THE GIRL IN THE RIVER by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. AMY, a detailed recounting of fallen singer Amy Winehouse, would win for Documentary.

Fashion always is at the forefront at the Oscars and Rooney Mara in Givenchy, Charlize Theron in Dior, Cate Blanchett in Armani Privé, Saoirse Ronan in Calvin Klein, Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton and Jennifer Lawrence in Dior, would win on the Red Carpet.

Complete list of Winners here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

We had the pleasure not only of stopping by Los Angeles amidst Awards Season last week, but also Santa Anita Park.  This was no standard visit. We would be going to meet one of Horse Racing’s brightest stars, the reigning queen and three-time champion, BEHOLDER.

We’ve been a fan of the six-year-old mare who in 20 stars to date, has been a model of consistency, excellent and if not, improving with every start. Her career has seen two Breeders’ Cup victories in her two and four-year-old seasons, a rarity. She has missed the top three only twice in her career, which has seen some delays unfortunately due to health issues.

2015 was a stand-out year for the super-mare who became the first female horse ever to win the $1-million Pacific Classic Stakes and did she ever make it easy, crushing them by over eight lengths! She has amassed over $4.3 million in earnings for Spendthrift Farm.

The Richard Mandella trainee was poised to upset American Pharoah last November in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, as he bid to become the first horse ever to win a Grand Slam. Unfortunately, the stars didn’t align despite  her being at Keeneland already for the big race and unwell that day. We’ll forever wonder what could have been. Oddsmakers do however, have her pegged as the favourite to win the 2016 renewal of the race this fall in her home court, Santa Anita.

After an extended absence, she is eyeing a return to the races soon.  One unique thing about Beholder‘s personality we learn is that although she technically still is on vacation mode currently, Andrea Mandella, daughter of Trainer Richard Mandella, tells me she has the ability to hone-in and focus when it’s crunch time. She just simply knows.

The mare certainly is stunning. The first thing we noticed is how strong and thick her hind legs are. Her demeanour is gentle and she loves her Peppermints, specifically the type manufactured by Target.  Although I’d bring her some mint varieties from Canada which would be sure to shock her tastebuds! She possessed a great gentleness to her, occasionally reaching-in to kiss her trainer, Mandella and aware of the camera.

Thanks to the generosity of Spendthrift Farm, Richard, Randi and Andrea Mandella, we are able to bring you a rare peek into Beholder‘s world.

See some Snaps:

Stay tuned for details on that eagerly-awaited 2016 return for Beholder.

For now you can follow her here on Twitter.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

See the Trailer:

For a third consecutive week, DEADPOOL dominates the Box Office in North America.  Bringing-in $31 million from 3,856 theatres for 20th Century Fox this weekend, the foul-mouthed Action Hero earns $285 million thus far in its run.

GODS OF EGYPT starring Gerard Butler debuts in second with $13 million for eOne Films/Lionsgate Films from 3,117 theatres. It earns 13% on the Tomatometer from Critics, with a B- CinemaScore from Audiences.

KUNG FU PANDA 3 in its fifth week out earns $8.7 million, bringing it domestic run to $128 million for 20th Century Fox.

RISEN places fourth with $7.1 million for Sony Pictures from 2,915 theatres, in its second week out tallying $22 million for the Biblical Drama.

TRIPLE 9 debuts in fifth with $6 million from 2,205 theatres for Open Road Films/Elevation Pictures. Critics gave it a mixed 54% on the Tomatometer and a C+ CinemaScore from Audiences.

Sports Drama EDDIE THE EAGLE opens in sixth with $5.8 million from 2,042 theatres for 20th Century Fox. Critics gave it a positive 73% on the Tomatometer, while Audiences gave it an A CinemaScore, which indicates positive word of mouth potential.

THE REVENANT rounds-out the Top Ten with $3.6 million for 20th Century Fox in its tenth week out. It has made over $170 million in North America.

So we came to Hollywood this Awards Season hoping to see a few stars. Since our unforgettable night at AN EVENING WITH CANADA’S STARS, honouring our country’s best in Cinema, it seems we’ve experienced a bit of trouble finding starpower in this City on Oscars week. Where are the stars hiding?!?

Come on, let’s go on a bit of search together, shall we?

 

BOOM! Found #Sly. #SylversterStallone #Creed #Rocky #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:59am PST

 

#DenzelWashington out partying last night. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:37am PST

 

#BenAffleck doing the party circuit last night, having a bit too much fun? #Batman #BatmanvSuperman #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:57am PST

 

#CaseyAffleck partying pre-#Oscars. #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:40am PST

 

The adorable little guy who continues to steal our hearts. Love his patriotic style at last night’s #AnEveningWithCanadasStars Gala! #xoTO #JacobTremblay

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 6:57am PST

 

With #StarWars #TheForceAwakens’ #JJAbrams, last night in #LosAngeles.

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 5:28am PST

 

I touched #StevenSpielberg. That’s gotta count for something! #LosAngeles #LA

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 5:27am PST

 

#DaisyRidley, star of #TheForceAwakens last night in L.A.

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 5:26am PST

 

With #CarlWeathers, the original #ApolloCreed in #Rocky. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:45am PST

 

Mesmerized still by #OsheaJackson in #StraightOuttaCompton. Son of #IceCube seems poised for stardom. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 7:02am PST

 

#IdrisElba doing the party circuit. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:53am PST

 

Why this was a dream come true!#ElizabethBanks is one of my faves. Director and Actress got honoured in Hollywood today for her work as a Director. Her response when I thanked her for all she did for #HorseRacing, was “You’re welcome.”. When I told her I got to meet #Beholder today, she was like “No way!!!!”. 🐎

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 3:08pm PST

#FreidaPinto at the #IndependentSpiritAwards earlier.

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 12:58am PST

The best. #JessicaChastain #IndependentSpiritAwards #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 2:17pm PST

#CateBlanchett, #IndependentSpiritAwards. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 2:16pm PST

Verklempt that I met my #1!! #AcademyAward Nominee #RooneyMara + me. #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 10:53pm PST

#LukeWilson, #IndependentSpiritAwards. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 2:17pm PST

#MichaelKeaton, #IndependentSpiritAwards. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 2:16pm PST

#RamiMalek at the #IndependentSpiritAwards.

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 2:16pm PST

An incredible honour photographing and meeting three-time champion and winner of $4.3 million, #Beholder. Got to meet her buddy, the talented Dreamologist too! Thank you to The Mandellas for their hospitality. 🐎 Now back to Beverly Hills we go! #HorseRacing #GetintheGame #Horse #SantaAnita

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 10:43am PST

 

#AaronTaylorJohnson + #SamTaylorJohnson. #AcademyAwards #Oscars #Kickass #FiftyShadesofGrey

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 7:10am PST

 

#NaomiCampbell. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 7:14am PST

 

#JoanCollins celebrating British Film. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 5:09am PST

#AcademyAward winner #TimRobbins celebrating #LeonardoDiCaprio. #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 12:45am PST

 

It’s #Frasier! With #KelseyGrammer. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 12:55am PST

 

Funnyman #JamesCorden celebrating British Film. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 6:52pm PST

My girl #KateHudson. At her fitness wear shop, #Fabletics.

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 3:35pm PST

 

#EddieRedmayne celebrating British Film. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 5:06am PST

 

#AliciaVikander, celebrating British Film. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 6:52pm PST

 

Chef #GordonRamsay specially designs a menu for those celebrating British Film. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 6:52pm PST

 

#SissySpacek supporting #LeonardoDiCaprio at private party. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 12:49am PST

The lovely and legendary #CharlotteRampling, a Nominee for #45Years. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 12:52am PST

 

A pregnant #AnneHathaway quietly shows her support for #LeonardoDiCaprio at a private party. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 12:47am PST

 

#AntonioBanderas shows his support for #LeonardoDiCaprio at private party. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 12:50am PST

 

#TimAllen, celebrating the #Oscars early last night. #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:38am PST

 

So cool seeing #RachelMcAdams at the #IndependentSpiritAwards. Congrats #SpotlightMovie on their big splash! Good luck to them tomorrow night at the #Oscars! #xoTO #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 1:00am PST

 

She was everything. Academy Award nominee and Canadian Academy member, #ShorehAghdashloo. #AnEveningWithCanadasStars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 7:25am PST

 

Forgot to post this gem with #EmmanuelleChriqui from #AnEveningWithCanadasStars! #xoTO

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 8:10am PST

 

Supermodel #TriciaHelfer. Still gorg. #AnEveningWithCanadasStars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 7:24am PST

 

With funny as hell Presenter #AdamBeach at #AnEveningWithCanadasStars. Can’t wait to see him in #SuicideSquad.

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 26, 2016 at 7:01am PST

 

#AishaTyler, out partying. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 7:15am PST

 

Any #DowntonAbbey fans? #JoanneFroggatt celebrating British Film. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:50am PST

 

She honestly is always so sweet. #SarahHyland at Vanity Fair party last night. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:48am PST

 

Sweetheart #BaileeMadison still remembers me from #Toronto! Here she is at Vanity Fair party. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:41am PST

 

#HaileeSteinflee hosting party for Vanity Fair. #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 5:12am PST

 

#DowntonAbbey fave #LesleyNicol. She is the sweetest lady!! #AcademyAwards #Oscars

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 7:23am PST

 

With #PrettyLittleLiars star #JulianMorris. #Oscars #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 7:26am PST

 

Hilarious seeing #Scrubs star #DonaldFaison in Beverly Hills!

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 28, 2016 at 12:44am PST

With #Selfie royalty, #StalkerSarah! 📷

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong ⛄ (@mrwillwong) on Feb 27, 2016 at 6:46am PST

Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?😉

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Now in its third thriving year, AN EVENING WITH CANADA’S STARS was held last night at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.  Leading into the Academy Awards and Canadian Screen Week, the Gala honours Canadian accomplishments in Cinema during Awards Season and if any year, this was the year to celebrate. The Gala is brought to us by Telefilm Canada, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles.

Canada notched over 20 nominations at the Academy Awards this year and one Technical Achievement Award! This also marks the first time ever Canada has had two Films in the running for Best Picture, with Canadian Co-Productions ROOM and BROOKLYN both being nominated.

It was an at-capacity crowd as Canadian talent and notables filled the venue.  Being honoured with the Academy‘s Legacy Award are two iconic Canadian screen veterans, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy, whom after making us laugh many years on SCTV, still continue to do so on CBC Series, Schitt’s Creek.  Both walked the Carpet tonight with their loved ones before taking the stage to accept their honours.

The fashion was bold and elegant on the Red Carpet with presenter Emmanuelle Chriqui in a gorgeous red and white floral print dress making a subtle Canadian statement.  Amanda Brugel was a vision in wavy white, reminding us again what a triumph she was in ROOM as a quick thinking police officer who helps save the day.  Laura Vandervoort simply never disappoints and chose a fashion-forward pink lace number. Katie Boland was a stunner in a magenta dress, looking classic and chic. Missy Peregrym continues to rock our world with her amazing choices including a dyed pixie cut and short black dress shirt-like number.  Academy Award-nominated Shoreh Aghdashloo was effortlessly chic in simple, flattering red. Stealing the entire show though was dapper Jacob Tremblay, star of ROOM in a perfectly-tailored and patriotic red suit which had us both jealous and in “awww”.  Did we mention his swoon-worthy police detective dad Jason was there too? Effortlessly cool in a non-stagedad way.

Why don’t you be the judge of that?  Let’s gawk at some of that Canadian beauty which the World can’t seem to get enough of:

Presenters Lyriq Bent + Emmanuelle Chriqui

Emmanuelle Chriqui

Lyriq Bent

Legacy Award honourees Catherine O’Hara + Eugene Levy

Catherine O’Hara + Guest

Eugene Levy

Jacob Tremblay + Amanda Brugel

Adam Beach

Missy Peregrym

Amanda Brugel

Toronto Mayor John Tory + Guests

Sarah Blackwood of Walk Off the Earth

David Sutcliffe

Dustin Milligan

George Stroumboulopoulous with Air Canada‘s Bambina Marcello + Robert Trudeau

Katie Boland

Meaghan Rath

Olivia Cheng

Martin Katz, Academy Chair

Aaron Poole

Sophie Tweed-Simmons

Laura Vandervoort

Ben Mulroney

Dan Levy

Stephan Moccio (co-wrote “Earned It” by The Weeknd for Fifty Shades of Grey)

Shoreh Aghdashloo

Co-Presenter  (and Canadian Screen Award Nominee) Lyriq Bent sums-up the spirit of An Evening with Canada’s Stars best by telling the room “We’ve got to show the world what we’re all about because that’s what it takes to be great. We need to understand ourselves before we need others to understand us.”. After he and Chriqui called to stage all Canadian Academy Award Nominees this year, last but not least was the brilliant young star of ROOM himself, Tremblay. “I need you all to understand – this is the future generation. This is why when we see talent, we need to embrace talent, not just tell him how great he is, but to show this young man what it is to be a good man. That’s our responsibility in this industry.”.

Suicide Squad star Adam Beach, who also presented, had a two or thing to say about Tremblay too!

See the Video:

So everybody was trying to crash this Party!

Canadian Screen Week runs Monday, March 7 through Sunday, March 13, 2016, the night of the Canadian Screen Awards.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)