Unstoppablea sports drama about a college wrestler who dreams of turning pro, played by Jharrrel Jerome (Moonlight), Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle and Bobby Cannavale, directed by William Goldenberg, stepped into the ring on Friday for its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), earning a two-minute standing ovation.
The story of the film is based on the life of Anthony Robles, who has also walked the red carpet. Although he was born without his right leg and grew up in an unstable family, he never gave up on his dream of becoming a wrestler.
Not only did the premiere continue to amp up TIFF’s star wattage after Thursday’s opening night with the likes of Ben Stiller and Demi Moore, it also gave its director and stars a chance to share some behind-the-scenes insights.
First-time director Goldenberg, who edited Argon and others, in an introduction to the film, thanked the film's producers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and their company Artists Equity. “I've been fortunate to have them as partners,” he said. “I appreciate everything they've done. I worked with Ben for almost 20 years as an editor, and his belief in me has sometimes exceeded my belief in myself. So I can't tell you how much I appreciate his support and his help and the fact that he's allowed me to be here.”
Damon attended the premiere, but Affleck did not make the trip to Toronto. Singer-actress Lopez filed for divorce from him in late August after two years of marriage.
Meanwhile, during the Q&A, Robles' real mother told JLo how she played her: “She was me with the sass, but also with the spirit.”
Jerome previously opened up about how he and Lopez collaborated on the film. “We have so many similarities when it comes to the mother-son dynamic,” he said DAY on the red carpet before the premiere. “She's very close to her kids and loves them very much. And I'm a mama's boy. I love my mom very much. So, we definitely used that to our advantage.”
The shared experiences don't end there. “Plus, we're both from the Bronx,” she continued. “So we had a lot of conversations early on about what it means to be struggling and still love and choose to overcome. And those conversations just led to the chemistry that we were able to have.”
From UnstoppableJerome said DAY: “It's not just a wrestling movie. It's a movie about family. It's a movie about overcoming.”
Goldenberg, an Oscar-nominated editor, shared that his experience prepared him well for the directorial duties of Unstoppable“I've worked with some of the best directors in the world. I've sat with them for hours and hours and hours, learning from them how to make movies, watching what they do and being on set with them,” he said. DAY on the red carpet in Toronto. “So I just tried to draw on all those lessons that I've learned and hopefully become a better storyteller as an editor. And basically, it's all storytelling.”