The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) witnessed something unexpected during the world premiere of Ron Howard‘s latest directorial project, Eden, starring Sydney Sweeney. The Saturday night screening at Roy Thomson Hall was briefly interrupted by a medical emergency.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the incident unfolded around 7 p.m. local time, shortly after a scene depicting childbirth. Observers noted a commotion on the ground level of the theater, prompting staff to turn on the lights in the venue. Several attendees were seen assisting in the evacuation of an individual from the premises.
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The cast, including Sweeney, Jude Law, Ana de Armas, and Daniel Brรผhl, watched the situation unfold from their second-story balcony seats. EW captured footage of the actors’ concerned expressions as the film remained paused on the big screen. A TIFF representative addressed the audience, confirming that a “medical emergency” had necessitated the interruption. After a brief delay, the screening resumed, with the remainder of the film and the subsequent Q&A session proceeding as planned.
When contacted for comment, Toronto police provided limited information, stating via email that “this was a medical call in the area of Roy Thompson Theatre just after 7 pm, and ambulance was dispatched.” They further clarified that “police were not required.” A police officer outside the venue confirmed the dispatch of fire crews and medical personnel but refrained from offering additional details per EW.
Varietyย reports that the 5:45 p.m. screening was paused for approximately 10 minutes, resuming around 7:20 p.m. During this time, Howard and the cast remained seated in the mezzanine. Following the screening, TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey, who moderated the post-film discussion, addressed the earlier disruption. He reassured the audience that the person who required medical attention “will be OK,” eliciting applause from the relieved attendees.
Eden, based on true events, is a historical thriller set in the 1930s. The film follows a group of Europeans seeking a fresh start on an uninhabited island in the Galรกpagos. However, their dreams of paradise quickly unravel as they confront the harsh realities of coexistence in isolation. The ensemble cast also features Vanessa Kirby, Toby Wallace, and Felix Kammerer.
During the premiere, Howard thanked the cast, praising”not only the capacity but creative courage to go to some of the places that these real people had gone in their lives.” He described the film as “beyond anything I’ve ever done,” highlighting that “The choices the characters are compelled or forced to make are more complex than anything I’ve dealt with in a film,” according to Variety.
The official synopsis of Edenย promises a gripping narrative of survival and human nature. It describes a pair of high-minded Europeans, played by Law and Kirby, who “seek a new life on a previously uninhabited island in the Galรกpagos, only to discover that hell is other people.”ย
