Sometimes the TIFF gods have mercy.

Today I interviewed Mira Sorvino and director Terry George for their film, 'Reservation Road.' Terry has been my favourite interview of the festival by far. I walked out of there slightly dazed, with an adolescent kind of awe ringing in my head: "He's so cool!" Mira, too, is sharp as a tack (you know she went to Harvard, right?) She lit up most when talking about her little daughter and how to make her comfortable on-set (fill the trailer with the spoils of a spree at FAO Schwartz).

I wasn't offered an interview with Joaquin.

Fast forward to this evening. On the red carpet for the 'Reservation Road' gala premiere, Joaquin was his famously cantankerous self. He traipsed down the red carpet, stopping to listen to each journalist's question. If he didn't like it, he would sing, "Nope!" and continue to amble down the carpet. Apparently, he doesn't like very many questions. He even swore at a friend of mine.

I also caught a screening of the Alison Eastwood (Clint's daughter) film, 'Rails and Ties.' I hadn't been planning on seeing it but I had an impromptu chat with a Vancouver journalist in a hotel elevator and he recommended it. Suffice it to say that the film had a roomful of critics crying (I heard the sniffles! I saw people wiping their eyes!) So, if you like Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden, cute little kids and crying, this film is for you.

In the evening, I excitedly headed to the underground "hidden" subway station - a local station that was never used except as a film set. Film Italia, ANICA and the Italian Trade Commission hosted the party where women wore fancy headdress and partygoers sat around in subway cars swilling wine.

Afterwards, I headed to C Lounge for the Hello! magazine and eTalk party. Like many of the big TIFF parties, this one had cars placed everywhere as a corporate sponsorship tie-in. Overheard that night:

Dude: So what do you drive? Another Dude: Well, I got a little GMC Jimmy.

So I guess product placement works.

Even though this week's issue of Hello! is jam-packed with celeb photos from TIFF red carpets, there weren't many in attendance at their after-party for 'New York City Serenade.' Chris Klein and other cast members from the film were there but, really, the biggest stars of the evening were the mini burgers. Truly delicious.

I decided to further stave off sleep by heading to a neighbourhood bar, far from the fancy clubs dominating TIFF. It's nice to return to real life where there is no dress code. Could I be returning to planet earth? Is TIFF truly winding down? There's one more day to go. What will it entail?