Protesters Disrupt TIFF Opening Night; Audience Boo and Chant ‘Go Home!’ in Response

During the Toronto Film Festival’s opening night, a group of pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the event to express their opposition to the Royal Bank of Canada, TIFF’s official banking partner.

As the Princess of Wales Theatre prepared for the 6 p.m. screening of “Nutcrackers,” a dramedy featuring Ben Stiller and directed by David Gordon Green, four protesters entered the venue chanting, “RBC funds genocide.” This slogan was directed at the bank due to its perceived support for Israel amidst the ongoing conflict with Gaza.

The protesters carried signs with slogans like “RBC is killing our future,” as captured in videos shared by New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan. After approximately five minutes, the protesters were removed from the theater by security. TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey continued his opening remarks undisturbed by the commotion, while the audience for “Nutcrackers” responded with boos and shouts of “Go home!” and “Go away!” directed at the protesters.

In response, RBC issued a statement expressing respect for the right to protest but criticized the attempt to use the cultural event to advance activist agendas. The bank emphasized that such actions detract from the artists’ work and weaken support for vital arts and cultural programs. RBC also acknowledged the severe impact of the humanitarian crisis in Israel and Gaza and expressed empathy for those affected.

TIFF representatives have yet to comment on the incident when contacted by Variety.

RBC’s involvement with TIFF has previously stirred controversy. Last year, prior to the Oct. 7 escalation in the Middle East, Canadian filmmakers and Hollywood stars launched the RBC Off Screen campaign, urging TIFF to sever ties with RBC due to its funding of the oil and gas industry. Figures like Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, and Joaquin Phoenix supported an open letter criticizing TIFF’s partnership with RBC, citing its role as a major financier of fossil fuel development.

RBC Off Screen framed the protest during “Nutcrackers” as a gesture of solidarity addressing both the climate crisis and the Gaza conflict, while also supporting Indigenous sovereignty. Elza Kephart, a spokesperson for RBC Off Screen and filmmaker at Midnight Kingdom Films, condemned TIFF’s association with RBC as “art-washing crimes” that endanger both human life and the environment.

The 49th edition of TIFF is set to officially begin at 8 p.m. with the world premiere of “Nutcrackers.” Over the next ten days, the festival will showcase films including Ron Howard’s survival thriller “Eden,” Marielle Heller’s horror comedy “Nightbitch” featuring Amy Adams, the animated “The Wild Robot,” and John Crowley’s “We Live in Time” with Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh.

Running from September 5-15, this year’s festival aims to recover from the previous year’s disruption caused by the actors and writers strikes that limited major star attendance.