Every year there is always one gala that stands out as the big one of the festival. Enigma is this year's. The cast and crew of Enigma turned out in force to wave to the crowds lined up in the rain outside the Odeon today.
Although Mick Jagger was threatening to turn up, he never appeared in the end. Instead we were treated to the director, Michael Apted, director of photography, Seamus McGarvey, and three of the film's stars: Kate Winslet, Saffron Burrows and Dougray Scott.
All three stars were fairly casual, Saffron sporting a summer dress combined with leather jacket, Dougray a striped casual shirt and jacket, and Kate looking stunning in a corset under denim. Kate in particular proved just how nice a celebrity she is, preferring to scott round the crowds talking to people and signing autographs rather than dashing inside out of the rain.
After the screening, the stars were whisked of in their limos to the Royal Museum for the annual sponsors dinner. Sadly, your intrepid diarists attempts to crash the party were laughed at by the security on the door. However, my spy inside tells me that the dinner was "simply beautiful" although after excessive consumption of alcohol he can't actually remember much more of the evening.
Also in town today, was Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, who has made Cronos, Mimic, The Devil's Backbone and, recently, Blade 2. In a very amusing and laid back Reel Life session with Mark Kermode, he talked about his grandmother (who makes Carrie's mother seem liberal), his love of doing sound effects and the cleanest toilet in Mexico. He also showed off some of his sketch books, which were filled with the most amazing, if slightly strange drawings. Some of the best were ideas he has for a possible adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo - if those sketches are anything to go by, I definitely want to see the film when it's made.
So what was my highlight of the day? Definitely meeting Dougray and Kate (who says even experienced pros like myself can't go weak at the knees when presented with true celebs?) although coming a close second was being asked to do a TV interview outside the Odeon - better watch out Winslet, stardom beckons for me now!
