Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is delighted to introduce the Fairmont Loves Film event series, comprised of pop-up events and a retrospective photo exhibit officially premiering at Fairmont Royal York during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and later traveling to London and Shanghai; and a partnership with film director and screenwriter Gia Coppola in the new role of Film Ambassador and Curator for Fairmont Loves Film. To celebrate this exciting program, Fairmont has also partnered with TIFF as the Official Gala Program Sponsor throughout the duration of the world-renowned festival.
Ms. Coppola, who is known for her exceptional films including Palo Alto which she wrote and directed, got her start making short films for a friend’s fashion label. She is also a fine art and fashion photographer, and has worked with labels such as Opening Ceremony, Zac Posen and Gucci. Gia grew up on film sets, often experiencing memorable moments in Fairmont hotels while traveling.
To celebrate the launch of Fairmont Loves Film, another young artist, Cuba Tornado Scott, has created a short film exploring Fairmont’s historic connections to the world of cinema and the attachment to the brand’s legendary hotels. Like Ms. Coppola, Ms. Scott heralds a new generation in the film world, as a descendent of her grandfather, director Ridley Scott; her uncle, director Tony Scott and her parents: music video director Jake Scott and producer Rhea Scott.
“We are thrilled to welcome Gia as the Ambassador of Fairmont Loves Film and honored to work with Cuba to launch this exciting event series. These young talented women bring a fascinating perspective to the evolution of film and the timeless appeal of Fairmont hotels,” said Sharon Cohen, Vice President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “Fairmont enjoys a strong connection to cinema that is shared across generations and includes unforgettable personal moments, along with movie-making history at some of our most celebrated and awe-inspiring properties.”
In the video created by Ms. Scott, the audience is introduced to the Fairmont Loves Film project through the lens of a woman whose vivid memories revive the spirit of cinema within Fairmont. The creation of cinema and Fairmont become inescapably intertwined, the sense of luxurious comfort and whimsical wonder connect through a narrative arc between the contemporary and the classic. The film delivers a sense of curiosity and longing to know more about the experiences these characters had within the walls of Fairmont hotels, and builds a desire to witness new versions of those experiences.
“I’ve always admired the collaborative history that the Fairmont hotels and movies share,” said Gia Coppola. “It’s exciting and an honor for me to help celebrate the relationship between movies and travel.”
Added Xavier Louyot, Senior Vice President, Brand Content, Fairmont and AccorHotels Luxury Brands, “This campaign is a perfect example of the creative and experiential programming that we seek to develop for our guests and luxury properties. This series connects guests to Fairmont on so many levels, weaving the history and glamour of film with our iconic and cinematic hotels.”
Images and video from these films, along with several others, will be showcased in a special Fairmont Loves Film visual exhibit beginning in early September at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto and later this year at The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel in London and at Shanghai’s Fairmont Peace Hotel in early 2019. In addition to the exhibitions, Fairmont will also host a special pop up event at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall, home of world cinematic premieres and gala programs during TIFF, running from September 6 – September 16, 2018.
“Fairmont hotels have been the site or setting of countless Hollywood blockbusters and legendary films,” continued Ms. Cohen. “When filmmakers and directors want to portray luxury accommodations that truly represent their destinations, they often focus their cameras on Fairmont. Many film buffs will know that Home Alone 2 (1992); and North By Northwest (1959) were filmed at The Plaza, but guests may not realize that Fairmont Hotels & Resorts across the globe have also had starring roles in such classic films as JFK (1991), Dr. Zhivago (1965), and The Great Gatsby (2013) to name but a few. For more than a century, we’ve done our best to meet and exceed the expectations of all our guests, including filmmakers.”
Some of Fairmont’s most famous film credits go to the following camera-ready hotels:
Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Not only is the hotel is one of the hottest shooting venues in Toronto – it hosts nearly 20 film projects each year – but it is the only hotel in the city to employ a full-time Film Concierge, who is also involved in the planning and organization of select galas for the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie Cinderella Man (2005), a three-time Oscar-nominee starring Russell Crowe, was filmed on location here, as was Molly’s Game (2017), starring Kevin Costner, Idris Elba and Jessica Chastain. Directed by Academy Award-winner Aaron Sorkin, the hotel provided numerous locations for the film and crew, including a room modelled in the style of The Plaza, where Molly Bloom, the real-life woman who inspired the movie, would set her poker games. A further sampling of Fairmont Royal York’s casting sheet includes: The Killing Fields (1984); Serendipity (2000); The Tuxedo (2001); Where the Truth Lies (2005); Hollywood Land (2006); Take the Lead (2006); Red (2010) Chloe (2009); RoboCop (2014); Miss Sloane (2016); Spotlight (2015).
The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, London
It was at The Savoy where Vivien Leigh met future husband Laurence Olivier, where Elizabeth Taylor spent her honeymoon with Nicky Hilton, and where Charlie Chaplin returned to his homeland. It has also been a favorite filming spot for movies such as The Big Sleep (1978); The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981); Notting Hill (1999); Bright Young Things (2003); Gambit (2012); Mortdecai (2015); Goodbye Christopher Robin (2018); and All the Money in the World (2018). What’s more, the hotel is also known to host numerous stars attending the annual British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards.
Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai
The famous Jazz Bar at Fairmont Peace Hotel and its legendary Old Jazz Band were captured in a documentary film by German producer Uli Gaulke called ‘As Time Goes By’ which premiered in the Toronto and Shanghai International Film Festivals in June 2013. Other films shot on location in the art deco styled interiors of the hotel include: Empire of the Sun (1987); The Last Aristocrats (1989); Shanghai Triad (1995); The White Countess (2005); The Silent War (2012); Tiny Times 3 (2014); and Lan Xin Theatre (2018).
Fairmont San Francisco
Ever since Alfred Hitchcock chose to shoot his favorite San Francisco hotel for his classic film Vertigo (1958), starring Jimmy Stewart, Fairmont San Francisco has become a silver screen icon. The classic Hitchcock thriller established the hotel’s appeal as a film location and it went onto star in films such as The Towering Inferno (1974) and Sudden Impact (1983), but one of its most memorable movie close ups was when Sean Connery demanded a luxe suite at the property in The Rock (1996). More recently, the hotel had a featuring role in The Intern (2015) with Roberto De Niro, Anne Hathaway and Rene Russo.
The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, New York
Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock were onsite at New York’s Grand Dame, The Plaza, to film key parts of the 1959 classic North by Northwest – the first time a crew, director and cast assembled onsite to make a picture. Before then, movies were shot almost entirely on Hollywood soundstages and rarely on location. The Plaza has provided the location for other motion pictures as well, including Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961); Barefoot In The Park (1967); Funny Girl (1968); The Great Gatsby (1971); Plaza Suite (1971); The Way We Were (1973); Francis Ford Coppola’s film, The Cotton Club (1984), starring Richard Gere, Diane Lane and Gregory Hines; Home Alone 2 (1992); Scent Of A Woman (1992); Sleepless in Seattle (1993); Almost Famous (2000); The Great Gatsby (2013), and many more.
Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston
No hotel is more famous for the Hollywood wedding than Fairmont Copley Plaza. In one year the location was the shoot for two movie weddings – My Best Friend’s Girl (2008) and – Bride Wars (2008) – starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. In Bride Wars, the Boston ballroom stood in for The Plaza in New York – the ballrooms are quite similar and were designed by the same architect. Other movies filmed on location here include: The Firm (1993); Next Stop Wonderland (1998); The Company Men (2010); Zookeeper (2011); American Hustle (2013); The Forger (2014); Live by Night (2017); and The Equalizer 2 (2018).
