After leaving Venice, Murphy did not return to Los Angeles. Instead, he took the entire crew to Canada to attend the Toronto International Film Festival, which opened on September 1st.
Although "Spotlight" could not compete for the People's Choice Award at the film festival, the Toronto International Film Festival has always been a stronghold for American films. A film with a great reputation here would have a more significant impact on North American audiences and the upcoming awards season.
If attending the Venice Film Festival was to address Catholicism, then bringing the film to the Toronto Film Festival was genuinely to create momentum for the film's publicity and reputation.
"Spotlight" had already won widespread acclaim at the Venice Film Festival. In today's highly developed internet era, the explosive word-of-mouth had already reached North America.
As the film's distributor, 20th Century Fox arranged a total of ten screenings of "Spotlight" at the Toronto Film Festival. From the first screening, every show was packed, and even the later shows, where neither Murphy nor the Stanton disciples appeared, had an attendance rate of over 95%.
In the cinema industry, such an attendance rate can be considered 100%.
On the first day of the Toronto Film Festival, "Spotlight" was screened three times. Even though the opening film "The Imitation Game" was also shown at the same time and received good reviews, it was completely overshadowed by "Spotlight" in terms of media, professional, and audience reviews.
Especially North American mainstream media, who had just had a spat with the Catholic Church, were still holding grudges. Now, with the release of a high-quality film exposing the church's scandals, they were as excited as if they had been injected with adrenaline, eagerly supporting the film.
"If 'Spotlight' were directed by someone else, this story might have been filmed as a heroic tale. But in Murphy Stanton's hands, the grandeur is minimized. This is a film without leading actors; the story is the real protagonist. It is a film without flashy techniques, stripped of complicated shooting skills. The music is mostly piano pieces, and even the intense dramatic conflicts typical of this genre are few and far between. This cold and restrained expression has a more powerful effect, like hearing thunder in silence."
—Los Angeles Times
"It is fortunate that Hollywood can produce such a film because if it had been directed by a mediocre director, the movie would have included many dramatic scenes, and the tone might have been completely different. Fortunately, this is a film where Murphy Stanton deliberately minimized everything: no excessive sentimentality, no intense pace, no overbearing music. It is just the truth and understated scene handling, presenting the whole incident honestly, making the audience think about the role of the media in society and what news value is."
"The theme chosen by director Murphy Stanton is grand. We might not yet understand its significance. For countries with religious beliefs, a single priest's child abuse incident may not relate to the heavy theme of faith. But thinking about the final statistics and the extrapolated scope, these horrifying events are enough to destroy faith."
—New York Times
"'Spotlight' is great, not a flashy, boastful movie. The journalists in it are the same; they are people who can immerse themselves in their work. The film is so confident, sophisticated, and satisfying. Director Murphy Stanton found a rich, engaging yet straightforward way to portray the basic work of journalists, conveying this touch through filing cabinets and photocopiers."
"Murphy Stanton has made a rare, clear-layered, profound film. He allows us to glimpse the working state of frontline media personnel, explaining how a fair and free media responds to social injustices, expressing the existence value of the media to society."
—Washington Post
These media reviews attracted a lot of attention from North American movie fans. Many fans who could afford it even went to the Toronto Film Festival to watch the film in advance.
After all, the official screening would start in November, with limited releases in a few theaters.
As a die-hard fan of Murphy, Justin flew to Toronto to see "Spotlight" in advance. Although the film seemed a bit plain, it was real and heart-wrenching.
"I really don't get it, you are such a die-hard Murphy supporter..." After the film ended, Justin stood on the steps outside the theater and called Daisy. "Why did you suddenly change? Why aren't you interested in Murphy's new film?"
"I just think this film isn't my type," Daisy's slightly indifferent voice came through the receiver. "And I've got other things to do recently."
Justin shook his head. "Alright, the film is excellent. It could be a strong contender for the Oscars next year. When it releases in Los Angeles, we can watch it together."
Daisy's response was somewhat unexpected. "Let's talk about it then."
"Talk about it then?" Justin was taken aback. This didn't seem like Daisy at all.
If it weren't for the familiarity of the voice, he would have doubted whether the person on the other end was Daisy.
"Okay, Justin, I've got things to do," Daisy said, preparing to hang up. "I'm quite busy lately and might not have time to watch movies."
"Alright then," Justin couldn't force Daisy. "I'll contact you when I get back."
Justin hung up the phone, standing on the steps outside the theater, frowning. Since a few months ago, he had felt that Daisy was acting strange, always being secretive, seemingly not the same person anymore.
"Maybe everyone matures," Justin sighed. "After all, everyone grows up."
He didn't linger, turning to leave. Perhaps because he was still thinking about Daisy, he walked a bit too fast and bumped into a guy who seemed to be interviewing someone.
"Sorry." Justin, not one to be unreasonable, immediately stopped and apologized. "I'm very sorry."
The person he bumped into had black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin, appearing to be Asian. The Asian man waved his hand and said in slightly broken English, "It's okay."
After a few polite exchanges, just as Justin was about to leave, the Asian man suddenly stopped him and asked, "Sir, did you just watch Murphy Stanton's 'Spotlight'?"
"Yes," Justin nodded. "I'm a fan of Murphy."
"Can you share your thoughts on the film?" The Asian man quickly introduced himself, "I am a journalist from across the Pacific..."
Although he couldn't understand which newspaper the other party was from, Justin said, "Sure."
The Asian reporter immediately took out a small recorder and pressed the record button. Justin smiled and said seriously, "The film's authenticity is heart-wrenching! It questions the Catholic Church system, portrays the journalists' work, and focuses on the progress of the incident rather than indulging in cheap sentimentality. Murphy has set a benchmark for this type of social biographical drama."
As an important member of the IMDB discussion group, Justin had some insight into film criticism. "Through this film, Murphy demonstrates the social responsibility that an artist should have!"
The Asian reporter didn't expect an ordinary fan to have such unique views. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Both the film and the original report severely offended the Church. Didn't they face suppression from the Church?"
"From what I know, definitely!" Justin had some understanding of this aspect. "But Murphy and those journalists held up. What could the Catholic Church do? Hollywood and the media enjoy freedom of speech. Do you think they would resort to armed threats to stop Murphy from making this film? Not just the Church, even those pigs in the White House couldn't do that..."
Hearing an American describe his country's leaders this way, the Asian reporter was speechless. He had previously covered domestic film news and hadn't paid much attention to international, especially Hollywood films. This time, he encountered a film challenging authority...
If he remembered correctly, Catholicism was the main faith of Americans!
"Anything else?" Justin saw the reporter suddenly fall silent and pointed to the distance. "If not, I'll leave."
The Asian reporter quickly regained his composure. "Nothing else, thank you. Your comments were very helpful."
Justin smiled again. "You're welcome. Goodbye!"
"Goodbye!"
The Asian reporter waved goodbye to Justin and then continued to interview other fans about their thoughts on Murphy Stanton's new film, "Spotlight."
Back at the hotel, Justin immediately took out his phone and posted what he had just told the reporter on his Facebook page. He then browsed through many comments from fans who had seen "Spotlight."
Although the film wasn't a commercial one, it received overwhelmingly positive reviews.
"The subject is shocking, the script is solid; it starts slow but gradually gets better; the narrative is intricate, and the ensemble cast is excellent; it doesn't deliberately evoke emotions, and the ending is stunning."
"Murphy's work bursts out in a calm manner. The serene narrative hides a terrifying truth. As I followed the film and the journalists uncovering the facts, knowing it was based on real events, I doubted this world. But ultimately, seeing these people break through all obstacles to uncover the truth and uphold justice gave me hope. The film is realistic and touching."
"The subject matter reigns supreme! Murphy's 'Spotlight' has no special effects, yet it has a sweeping momentum, stirring emotions like a thousand troops."
While Justin was thrilled about the overwhelming praise for "Spotlight," the Asian reporter returned to the hotel with the collected material.
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