TIFF 2022 presents In Conversation with…. Taylor Swift

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) announced a special In Conversation with… Taylor Swift on Friday, September 9 at 7pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Toronto was graced with the first ever screening of All Too Well : The Short Film on a special 35mm specifically for TIFF on the big screen following a Q&A with TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey and Taylor Swift to discuss film making, and how she transitioned into directing.

Taylor Swift, a singer, songwriter, producer, actor, director and being the only woman in history to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year three times, we were fortunate enough to sit in on her in-conversation where the global pop star also brought up All Too Well’s star Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) up on the stage to help introduce the film. After the film, Swift sat down and spoke on how the film was brought to life.  She mentions when creating an album, part way through she would start conceptualizing how the album would look like , the colours, the aesthetics, what does she want it to symbolize. She speaks on inspirations from different films like how she would watch John Hughes movies like Sixteen Candles, and during the Pandemic she was watching two Guillermo del toro movies back to back, like The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth, and The Shape of Water which is one of her favourite films ever. She mentions how these films took her whole world and turned into folktale, and mythical creatures.

Swift also speaks a bit on the process for All Too Well and the casting. She mentions when she was writing to Sadie, she didn’t even think of any other actress. For Dylan O’Brien, she sent him a long text asking him to be a part of this film, and she couldn’t envision this film with anyone else. Swift then speaks on how in the short film, when they fall in love, she wanted the colours to feel warmer, and when we’re in his apartment she wanted it to feel cooler, and When Sadie goes in despair she wanted it to feel cooler and when she grows up, she wanted it to feel it to be a combination of both.

There were even some fan questions from twitter, one of which was very awkward as they asked about the red scarf, and all Swift had to say was “The scarf is a metaphor, and we turned it red because red is a very important colour in this album… When I say it’s a metaphor, I’m just gonna stop and say thanks for the incredible question”

It was such a treat to listen to this amazing powerhouse speak on where she will be going with her film career, and if you weren’t able to attend, there is a full video available on YouTube. The video of In Conversation with.. Taylor Swift can be seen below!

Check out our other posts on other TIFF 22 coverage!