Inside Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre is a red carpet, highlighting images of the world’s biggest celebrities and the famed photographer who snapped them.
The exhibit, "30 Years of Red Carpet Style with George Pimentel," draws people into the work of iconic Toronto-based photographer George Pimentel. The photographer is often found on the red carpet at TIFF, which is getting underway now, but he’s revered around the world, spotting A-listers at Cannes Film Festival, the Academy Awards and many more.
“People love to star seek and these photos are life-size so it gives them a glimpse and it gives them an energy that they’re actually near a star,†said George Pimentel, standing amongst his work as he spoke with CTV National News.
Massive prints of Hollywood elite hang from the atrium, glistening in the September sun shining through the mall’s skylight. Others are printed and placed on temporary walls, allowing shoppers a chance to wonder the red carpet, looking through the lens of Pimentel.
“I just want people to say, ‘Oh wow, this is my favourite actor,†says Pimentel. "In the end I just want beautiful quality and I don’t want anyone to look at it like its paparazzi or a dirty photo. I want it to be like old Hollywood."
Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are seen in this red carpet photo taken by George Pimentel. (George Pimentel)
Pimentel's career was built on honesty and integrity, forging genuine connections with those he was capturing. It was relationships that helped get him to the centre of the red carpets, trusted by not only stars but event organizers, producers and media teams.
“I was never in the bushes, I would approach them,†said Pimentel “I really wanted everybody to trust me, I wanted to be the trusted photographer.â€
Photos of celebrities taken by George Pimentel are seen in banners hanging in Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre. (George Pimentel)
He recalls a time when a celebrity walked out with a baby and he didn’t take the photo saying to himself, "Nope, that’s not what I’m after" and he was thanked.
“It’s all about integrity. You have to know when to go in and when not to and you have to understand their privacy and no means no, that’s what I’ve always been about," said Pimentel.
His talent traces back to his grandfather, a photographer in a small village in the Azores region of Portugal. By the age of 12, Pimentel was shadowing his own father, whose photography studio served Toronto’s Portuguese community.
“Photographing those Portuguese weddings in the basement, photographing festivals and communions. It was just an honest business that my dad did,†said Pimentel. His father was at the opening of the exhibit.
George Pimentel is seen with his father in this handout photo. (George Pimentel)
George Pimentel and is father are photographed together at the opening night of Pimentel's exhibit in this handout photo. (George Pimentel)
But it was his love for movies and Hollywood stars that would secure his place on the red carpet. It was 1993 and Robert De Niro was in Toronto for the premier of “A Bronx Tale,†Pimentel headed for the Elgin Theatre to try and catch a glimpse, with his camera in hand.
“De Niro came out, the flash bulbs, the excitement and the energy and I took this photo and I said this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.â€
He was 26 and a fresh graduate from Ryerson University and that was the Hollywood snap that would alter his career.
Three decades later and his portfolio is filled with Hollywood elite, skillfully capturing moments to remember. The bright lights, over the shoulder looks and the "old Hollywood" style make for some of his favourite shots. But from Pimentel it’s not about the actual image, it’s the story behind it, the work it takes and the directing it takes to land the photo.
Jennifer Lopez is seen at TIFF 2019 in this photo captured by George Pimentel. (George Pimentel)
“No one will ever know the most stressful photo I’ve ever shot in my life†Pimentel says, walking towards a life-size print of Jennifer Lopez on the red carpet at TIFF in 2019.
Before she even arrived, Pimentel was directing, clearing out security and managing publicists. They listened, as soon as she got out of the car, chaos ensued, the crowd was screaming but he went directly to her team and said exactly where he wanted her. Suddenly people were fluffing the dress and doing her hair.
“For me, it’s such a TIFF moment. To have it clean, have the fans, it’s hard to do, and it’s surreal†said Pimentel, adding she posted the photo to her Instagram that night.
“It’s just nice to compose one frame, all the chaos the security, everything around you, and it’s such a challenge and then to get that shot. It’s just a rush,†he added.
An unwavering dedication and passion for his craft, he says is far from fading. As age 56 he’s promising to have another exhibition similar to this when he celebrates 50 years.
The government has just weeks to decide if it will meet the $16-billion demand from the Bloc Québécois to stave off an election for a few more months, but the stipulation may be at odds with the political and fiscal plans of the Liberals.
This Monday, Sept. 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR), a federal statutory holiday and day of remembrance for the Indigenous children who never came home from Canadian residential schools, as well as those who survived them.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon insists her lack of French language proficiency does not hinder her ability to represent Canadians, after several Quebec politicians this week criticized her for not yet being fluent in the language, three years after her appointment.
The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.
Alberta's premier spoke to calls for an outside, independent investigation into the death of Jon Wells during an incident involving Calgary police last week.
An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station on Saturday, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year.
'Saturday Night Live' began its 50th season with a parade of former co-stars, including Maya Rudolph as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Andy Samberg as her husband Doug Emhoff and Dana Carvey as U.S. President Joe Biden.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
Alberta's premier spoke to calls for an outside, independent investigation into the death of Jon Wells during an incident involving Calgary police last week.
The union representing longshore workers at the Port of Montreal says work at two terminals could come to a standstill next week as the union served a 72-hour strike notice today.
A child was sent to hospital after being attacked by a coyote in northwest Calgary.
Toronto police are urging anyone with information, including video footage, to contact them after a man was fatally stabbed in north Scarborough on Saturday evening.
An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
For decades, Melven Jones couldn’t talk about what happened to him as a child. He didn’t even remember it.
Tim Walz and JD Vance might have the chance to reshape the political landscape Tuesday in their first and only debate.
Riding in a black SUV with tinted windows, lawyer Mariel Colon rolls up to the gates of a remote mansion, strolling past a security guard side-by-side with Emma Coronel, the wife of notorious drug lord JoaquÃn 'El Chapo' Guzman.
Newly emerged film footage of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's motorcade speeding down a Dallas freeway toward a hospital after he was fatally wounded sold at auction Saturday for US$137,500.
Russia's top diplomat warned Saturday against 'trying to fight to victory with a nuclear power,' delivering a UN General Assembly speech packed with condemnations of what Russia sees as Western machinations in Ukraine and elsewhere — including inside the United Nations itself.
In Syria, 37 militants affiliated to the extremist Islamic State group and an al-Qaeda-linked group were killed in two strikes, the United States military said Sunday.
For months, New York City Mayor Eric Adams — a former cop — refused to criticize the federal authorities investigating his administration. Not anymore.
The government has just weeks to decide if it will meet the $16-billion demand from the Bloc Québécois to stave off an election for a few more months, but the stipulation may be at odds with the political and fiscal plans of the Liberals.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon insists her lack of French language proficiency does not hinder her ability to represent Canadians, after several Quebec politicians this week criticized her for not yet being fluent in the language, three years after her appointment.
Canada is contributing $10 million for humanitarian assistance for civilians in Lebanon amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
A man from Alberta has been at the Medipal International Hospital in Kampala, Uganda for over two months with a hefty medical bill. He says he can’t leave until it’s been paid for.
More than 550 symptomatic people responded to an online questionnaire about a gastrointestinal illness at a Prince Edward Island shellfish festival last weekend.
A partial masking mandate has returned to Nova Scotia hospitals and provincially run healthcare facilities for visitors and healthcare workers.
Canadian innovators and technical leaders gathered in Ottawa Thursday to demonstrate the latest cutting-edge technology.
SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station on Saturday, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year.
Trees haven't grown on the Falkland Islands for thousands of years. But tree trunks and branches preserved in peat suggest the islands were once home to a forest.
Given the sudden popularity of Moo Deng, the Thai national treasure whose name roughly translates as 'bouncy pork,' it was only a matter of time before someone turned her into a digital asset.
As Sarah McLachlan, Tom Cochrane and members of Blue Rodeo were ushered into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on Saturday, each took a moment to recognize that writing great music usually comes with incredible struggle.
'Saturday Night Live' began its 50th season with a parade of former co-stars, including Maya Rudolph as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Andy Samberg as her husband Doug Emhoff and Dana Carvey as U.S. President Joe Biden.
A strike by grain terminal workers at the Port of Metro Vancouver has ended, their employer announced Friday night.
When Annie Korver sits down with a new corporate or small business client, she encourages them to focus first on the 'truth' part of Truth and Reconciliation.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday it had fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights in 2022 and 2023 in prohibited Iraqi airspace.
The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.
Matt Perrault has shipped animals in and out of Canada on behalf of owners for more than two decades, handling creatures ranging from birds to bearded dragons, rabbits and ferrets.
It's often said there is a thin line between love and hate, but is it OK to sometimes hate your long-term partner? If you ask actress Jamie Lee Curtis, it's practically necessary.
When the key to a win is work ethic, it is not surprising to see Mattias Ekholm rise to the occasion. Ekholm had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
On an eventful Saturday at the Presidents Cup, the U.S. took an 11-7 lead over an International team that saw big performances from the world's No. 1 ranked golfer, Scottie Scheffler.
The Toronto Raptors have confirmed that Vince Carter's No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.
More than 12,000 vehicles in Canada are included in two separate recalls by Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.
A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.
Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.
Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.
A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.
An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.
An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.
A man was found dead in a home in the Ditidaht First Nation on Vancouver Island Saturday morning, prompting local council to ask residents to shelter in place.
For decades, Melven Jones couldn’t talk about what happened to him as a child. He didn’t even remember it.
A Vancouver man has paid $337,500 to the B.C. Securities Commission as part of an insider trading settlement, the financial regulator announced Friday.
One person was injured in a stabbing at Moss Park early Sunday morning, Toronto police say.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon insists her lack of French language proficiency does not hinder her ability to represent Canadians, after several Quebec politicians this week criticized her for not yet being fluent in the language, three years after her appointment.
Toronto police are urging anyone with information, including video footage, to contact them after a man was fatally stabbed in north Scarborough on Saturday evening.
A child was sent to hospital after being attacked by a coyote in northwest Calgary.
Adam Klapka continues to make an impression, and leave an impression, as the 6-foot-8 Czech pushes to make the Calgary Flames opening-night roster. Klapka scored his third goal in three games and delivered two thundering bodychecks to lead the Flames to a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL pre-season action on Saturday.
Alberta's premier spoke to calls for an outside, independent investigation into the death of Jon Wells during an incident involving Calgary police last week.
An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
The federal holiday on Sept. 30 will bring some schedule changes in Ottawa as Canada marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
A garden showcasing Indigenous knowledge, and medical practices will be unveiled Monday on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Provincial police (SQ) say that a head-on crash on Highway 30 in Candiac has left one driver dead, and another person was transported to hospital in critical condition.
World Wrestling Entertainment Hall-of-Famer Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon is the inspiration for a local wrestling production company that will bear his name host events on Montreal's West Island to raise money and create memories for sick children.
A commemorative rally marking the fourth anniversary of Joyce Echaquan’s death will take place in Ville-Marie on Saturday afternoon.
A man has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing of 25-year-old Wyatt Omeasoo in 2023.
When the key to a win is work ethic, it is not surprising to see Mattias Ekholm rise to the occasion. Ekholm had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
A person is in hospital after a hit-and-run crash involving a stolen motorcycle in Grande Prairie early Saturday morning.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
Team U.S.A. is the winner of the Pan American Black Bass Championship, which attracted some of the world’s best anglers to Nackawic and Fredericton this past week.
Communities that suffered total losses in Hammonds Plains, N.S., and Upper Tantallon, N.S., in the 2023 wildfire received a donation of trees from Northern Pulp on Saturday.
As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves change colour, the time for fall suppers has returned in Manitoba.
Hundreds gathered in Winnipeg’s Memorial Park Saturday afternoon in a solemn ceremony honouring the lives of fallen firefighters.
A beloved annual celebration of arts and culture returns to city streets Saturday night.
The Town of Lumsden held their ninth annual Scarecrow festival Saturday.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders moved into second place in the CFL's West Division with a 29-16 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.
Minister of Health Everett Hindley wrote to healthcare provider unions on Friday inviting them to join a nursing task force, something the government previously said no to.
People in Guelph may notice a new addition at the entrance to Franchetto Park in Guelph.
A young motorcyclist has been taken to an out-of-region hospital after a single vehicle crash in Woolwich Township.
On Saturday evening just before 8:00 p.m., emergency responders were on the scene of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of 17th Line and 19th Line.
Saskatchewan RCMP says the man who sustained injuries from a serious assault earlier this month has died in hospital.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders moved into second place in the CFL's West Division with a 29-16 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.
Minister of Health Everett Hindley wrote to healthcare provider unions on Friday inviting them to join a nursing task force, something the government previously said no to.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
The government has just weeks to decide if it will meet the $16-billion demand from the Bloc Québécois to stave off an election for a few more months, but the stipulation may be at odds with the political and fiscal plans of the Liberals.
The CEO of the Ottawa Mission is responding to controversial comments made this week by Premier Doug Ford about those living in homeless encampments that received swift blowback from advocates.
Fire crews were on the scene of a vehicle fire this morning at Adelaide and King Streets.
On Saturday evening just before 8:00 p.m., emergency responders were on the scene of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of 17th Line and 19th Line.
The fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada is on Monday, Sept. 30.
Members of the Southern Georgian Bay OPP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) are sounding the alarm on a rising number of online and phone scams targeting residents.
Several heavily armed officers descended on a home in the southeast area of Barrie Thursday afternoon after reports of a man armed with a crossbow.
A bizarre discovery was made on a dirt road in Clearview Township.
Two suspects have been arrested by Windsor Police in connection with an incident involving sexual assault and forcible confinement.
The Town of Kingsville has prepared a draft short-term rental (STR) bylaw which would regulate and license the operation of vacation rentals in the community.
Massive rains from powerful Hurricane Helene left people stranded, without shelter and awaiting rescue, as the cleanup began from a tempest that killed at least 64 people, caused widespread destruction across the U.S. Southeast and knocked out power to millions of people.
A man was found dead in a home in the Ditidaht First Nation on Vancouver Island Saturday morning, prompting local council to ask residents to shelter in place.
For decades, Melven Jones couldn’t talk about what happened to him as a child. He didn’t even remember it.
Almost 200 pages of research on the B.C. Conservative Party, which sources within BC United confirm were compiled by their party before it dropped out of the British Columbia election campaign to support its former rival, have come back to haunt the new alliance.
Fire crews in Vernon, B.C., responded to a large house fire early Saturday morning.
A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.
The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
The sentencing for three men convicted of helping lead and coordinate the COVID-19 protest blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 has been delayed.
A 10-year-old boy from Lethbridge is being praised as a hero after a routine summer outing at the pool nearly turned tragic for his friend.
A man and woman have been charged after a Lethbridge ice creamery was broken into earlier this week. Staff arrived at Cookie Crimes, in the 300 block of Sixth Street South, just before 5:30 a.m. on Monday to discover the front window broken.
Sault residents may notice some commotion on the Algoma University campus over the next two weeks as a team conducts an archaeological search.
The Pride crosswalk in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., has been hit by vandalism for the second time in less than three months.
Despite a lead at mid-game in front of a near-capacity home crowd, the Sudbury Wolves dropped their first game of their OHL regular season to Barrie, 3-1.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
Newfoundland and Labrador sponsored a minor football team in England, now they’re about to play one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
