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Lars von Trier beaming into Toronto

TORONTO — Danish director Lars von Trier will follow his controversial movie “Antichrist” to the Toronto International Film Festival — via live video.

A Toronto festival spokesman said Friday that the director, whose well-documented fear of flying has kept him from traveling to North America, will participate in a 90-minute live video link-up, with the audience comprising media and the public.

Presenting von Trier in video aims to publicize “Antichrist,” which divided audiences and critics when it bowed in Cannes, and promises a well-hyped North American bow in Toronto, festival organizers anticipate.

Von Trier isn’t the only director to forgo the red carpet in Toronto. Pop icons Neil Young and Joan Baez will perform free concerts in Toronto to tubthump for films they star in.

Young will perform for free on a downtown Toronto stage as director Jonathan Demme debuts his concert film “The Neil Young Trunk Show” on Sept. 14.

And Baez also will give a free outdoor concert after the world premiere of the PBS American Masters’ documentary “Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound.”

TIFF also plans a free public roller derby exhibition in a downtown square to accompany the world premiere of Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, “Whip It,” a roller derby drama from Fox Searchlight that stars Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden and Juliette Lewis.

The Toronto International Film Festival is set to run Sept. 10-19.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter