Hundreds of publicists and journalists flooded into the city as nearly 350 titles chased the media spotlight.
Junkets, roundtables, one-on-ones, tight deadlines - it's enough to send even the most experienced professionals into a tizzy.
Films with a planned North American release are at the festival "mostly to junket and be on the launch pad for the various awards and their upcoming release,'' said Giulia Filippelli, director of the festival's sales and industry office.
But the selling process starts long before the festival kicks off. Press releases from production companies announce pre-screenings, the availability of actors for interviews and other movie-related events.
The hope is to build hoopla around movies that might otherwise be brushed under the red carpet of gala presentations.
At the Intercontinental Hotel in bustling Yorkville, the heart of the festival, the third floor is dedicated to publicists and their make-shift offices.
Throughout the day the hallways are packed with journalists. Lined up against the walls they wait their turn to enter the otherwise forbidden suites where celebrities sit and answer questions.
"They know it's a necessity for what they need to do for their film,'' said one U.S. publicist who has worked this festival and several others.
"They know they have to do these things, so they're here and they get in and then they get out.''
The process in between makes the real impression.
This year, Tommy Lee Jones gained a reputation as the festival's biggest sourpuss, dancing around questions and delivering condescending answers while promoting "No Country for Old Men.''
But others charmed, like Mark Ruffalo, who told the publicist he wanted more time to speak with one journalist, despite her insistence to cut off the question session.
"I'm giving her a story,'' he joked, while discussing his film "Rendition Road.''
Matt Damon offered to make one reporter a cup of coffee before an interview.
Given the circumstances, sometimes even the most well-intentioned celebrities have trouble putting on their best face before the conveyor belt of interviews.
Joaquin Phoenix, looking slightly the worse for wear, briefly stalled the first interviews at 10 a.m. for "Reservation Road.''
"No, not yet, not right away,'' Phoenix, huddled in a hoodie and wearing sunglasses, groused to his publicist after he overheard her saying he was ready to begin. Ten minutes later, he got started.
Despite their restrictive appearance, the hotel suites can actually be a breeding ground for creativity. Filmmakers appear to be conscious of the irony surrounding the whirlwind promotional process.
At this year's festival Jimmy Carter was the focus of a documentary called "Man of Plains'' which chronicled a recent publicity tour for his controversial book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.''
Oscar-winning Canadian director Denys Arcand found inspiration for "Days of Darkness,'' which was also at the festival, when he was promoting "The Barbarian Invasions.''
"The idea came from doing the tour and doing press and people constantly being interested in you,'' said Denise Roberts, producer of the film.
"He asked himself what it would be like to be a totally unknown, insignificant person.''
In recent years, publicists have warmed to the idea that they can simplify the process by herding a group of journalists into a "roundtable'' session. Reporters from around the globe can take their turn asking questions while the actor knocks down several interviews at once.
But the most fortunate films, or ones with marquee stars, get what's called a junket - essentially a press conference where the stars sit on a stage while nearly a hundred journalists toss out questions and TV cameras roll.
Only a handful of studio releases get the royal junket treatment. This year that included "Michael Clayton'' starring George Clooney, "The Brave One'' with Jodie Foster, and "Rendition'' starring Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal.
By Friday, as the festival wound down to its weekend close, only a few interviews were left to be done. Worn publicists trod down the hallways and packed up their laptops, filing away the chaos for future reflection.
"If I ever leave this job I could write a book on the things I've experienced,'' said one publicist candidly.
"I'd call it 'Hotel Hallways.'''
- David Friend, Canadian Press
