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.”
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.”
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.
Now that the jury in Donald Trump's criminal trial has made the historic decision to convict him, the judge overseeing the case will soon face a monumental choice: whether to sentence the 2024 Republican presidential candidate to time behind bars.
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
After hours of deliberations, a jury of Donald Trump's New York City peers convicted him on 34 counts, making him the first the former U.S. president in history with a felony conviction.
A Canadian immigration lawyer says now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he is technically barred from crossing the border into Canada.
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
Months before British Columbia sought to scale back its drug decriminalization pilot project, the federal government's own polling suggested to officials that a majority of Canadians believed the policy would lead to an increase in overdoses.
Loblaw is testing smaller-format discount stores across the country this year as shoppers increasingly look for ways to save on their grocery bill.
An Idaho man was convicted Thursday of killing his wife and his new girlfriend's two youngest kids in a strange triple murder case that included claims of apocalyptic prophesies, zombie children and illicit affairs.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Saskatchewan teachers have rejected the latest offer from the province that would have seen an end to a contract dispute that has now surpassed one year.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at Universite du Quebec a Montreal said Thursday they will dismantle their encampment by the end of next week after the university agreed to many of their demands.
A provincial bounty program targeting Alberta’s wild pig population has winded down, seemingly without a single kill of the destructive swine.
Nova Scotia Education Minister Becky Druhan says the province's school lunch program will use a "pay what you can" model when it is rolled out in October.
Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
After hours of deliberations, a jury of Donald Trump's New York City peers convicted him on 34 counts, making him the first the former U.S. president in history with a felony conviction.
An Idaho man was convicted Thursday of killing his wife and his new girlfriend's two youngest kids in a strange triple murder case that included claims of apocalyptic prophesies, zombie children and illicit affairs.
A Minneapolis police officer responding to a shooting call was ambushed and killed Thursday when he stopped to provide aid to a man who appeared to be a victim. That man instead wound up shooting the officer, authorities said.
Germany joined the United States on Friday in authorizing Ukraine to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they are supplying -- a significant policy change that comes as depleted Ukrainian troops are losing ground in the war.
U.S. President Joe Biden has given Ukraine the go-ahead to use American weaponry to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv, according to three U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
Months before British Columbia sought to scale back its drug decriminalization pilot project, the federal government's own polling suggested to officials that a majority of Canadians believed the policy would lead to an increase in overdoses.
Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont says he did not approve an advertisement for a Conservative party event that led the NDP to accuse him of partisanship.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is suggesting Canada would support a policy of allowing Ukraine to use NATO-provided arms inside Russia, amid a debate among members of the military alliance.
A Kitchener, Ont. woman has renewed hope that the province will fund a rare – and pricey – cancer drug after a local politician saw her story on CTV News.
A jury's award of $400,000 to a woman who had a mastectomy after being misdiagnosed with breast cancer has been substantially reduced by B.C.'s highest court, which found the damages were "wholly disproportionate."
A massive new Toronto vaccine factory, tasked with making flu shots and preparing for the next pandemic, won't start producing shots until 2027 -- as much as a year later than the company initially envisioned when the plant was first announced.
U.S. federal regulators have given Amazon key permission that will allow it to expand its drone delivery program, the company announced Thursday.
The company behind a popular independent television station in Newfoundland and Labrador says it was hit by a cyberattack.
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
Shania Twain recently addressed the infidelity that rocked her marriage to Robert 'Mutt' Lange, whom she divorced in 2010 after he had an affair with her friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
An attorney for Backstreet Boy Nick Carter has responded to allegations of sexual assault featured in a new Investigation Discovery docuseries about the singer and his late brother, Aaron Carter.
Andrew Tate, the divisive social media influencer awaiting trial in Romania on charges of human trafficking and rape, lost an appeal Thursday to have the court relax geographical restrictions preventing him from traveling outside the eastern European country.
Loblaw is testing smaller-format discount stores across the country this year as shoppers increasingly look for ways to save on their grocery bill.
Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group, the owner of social networking site Truth Social, slumped before the opening bell Friday after former U.S. president Donald Trump was convicted in his hush money trial.
WestJet has made progress on two labour disputes, reaching a tentative agreement with Encore pilots and ratifying a new collective bargaining agreement with its load controllers.
Leanne Van Bergen discovered a skulk of 10 baby foxes, and two mothers, had made themselves at home on her property in Beausejour.
Shake Shack will open its first flagship location in Toronto in two weeks, the fast-food restaurant announced on Thursday.
McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.
The Toronto Blue Jays have unveiled their new City Connect jerseys.
A film made in 1920 in Cape Breton recorded the first prototype of a hydrofoil boat as it roared across the surface of the Bras d'Or Lakes in Baddeck, N.S.
There's always something to be happy about when the Edmonton Oilers are making good strides in the playoffs, but this is especially true for two lucky fans who were able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Game 4 — for free.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday sued South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Co., an auto parts plant and a labour recruiter over illegal use of child labour in Alabama.
Richard D'Agostino says he was aghast to find out that it was going to take him over an hour to get to Dollard-des-Ormeaux from downtown Montreal.
A new study finds fewer Canadians say they're interested in buying an electric vehicle as concerns remain about limited driving ranges, high prices and a lack of charging stations.
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.
Prince Edward Island is celebrating its first-ever International Day of Potato on Thursday.
The president of Covered Bridge Chips in New Brunswick is hoping to have his factory rebuilt for late 2025 following a devastating fire last year.
Students and staff at Winnipeg’s Westwood Collegiate had a unique problem to solve this month; how do you lead ducks to water from the school’s courtyard when 12 of them can’t fly yet?
Debby Lorinczy remembers her father as an amazing person and as a man who also made an amazing discovery.
Abigail Strate is a member of the Canadian national ski jumping team and an Olympic bronze medallist. She's also a certified beekeeper.
It's been a long time coming, but one Oilers superfan is hoping this will be the year he gets to touch up his massive Stanley Cup back tattoo.
A man's daring rescue of a newborn wild foal that was trapped after falling down a steep embankment was caught on video over the weekend.
A Winnipeg pinball wizard is heading to the granddaddy of them all – the IFPA World Pinball Championship.
A worker at a North Vancouver fast food restaurant says she was severely burned when a driver crashed into the building on March 16, knocking hot oil out of the fryer.
British Columbia's police watchdog has cleared RCMP officers of wrongdoing after a Langley man died in a fire following a wellness check and hours-long standoff with police, during which he shot towards officers.
A jury's award of $400,000 to a woman who had a mastectomy after being misdiagnosed with breast cancer has been substantially reduced by B.C.'s highest court, which found the damages were "wholly disproportionate."
Wiring funds using your bank is usually a safe thing to do and most transactions happen without any problems, but sometimes a wire transfer can be rejected or go missing and getting your money back is not always easy.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
Is your child’s school in need of major repairs? Have you contacted your child’s school about your concerns? Share your story by emailing us at torontotips@bellmedia.ca with your name, general location, and phone number.
A provincial bounty program targeting Alberta’s wild pig population has winded down, seemingly without a single kill of the destructive swine.
Now that the jury in Donald Trump's criminal trial has made the historic decision to convict him, the judge overseeing the case will soon face a monumental choice: whether to sentence the 2024 Republican presidential candidate to time behind bars.
A man was sent to hospital after a stabbing at Chinook Centre mall on Thursday morning.
It’s going to be a nice day in the capital this Friday with sunny skies and warm temperatures.
The previously proposed axle redesign for the light rail vehicles on Ottawa's Confederation Line LRT is not off the table, despite a city report suggesting otherwise, a source familiar with the matter tells CTV News Ottawa.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at things happening in Ottawa and eastern Ontario during the first weekend of June.
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said vehicle registration may rise and that she hopes to reduce wait times for housing build permits. She spoke with CTV News anchor Caroline Van Vlaardingen about those issues as well as a safe drug-use site near a playground, antisemitic acts in the city and encampments at McGill and UQAM.
Montreal firefighters are battling a four-alarm blaze that broke out in a three-storey building near the Saint-Laurent Metro.
The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run in Edmonton is begging the driver to come forward.
After 14 weeks of questions, debates and public backlash, the spring sitting of the Alberta Legislature wrapped up Wednesday. Here's what happened.
There's always something to be happy about when the Edmonton Oilers are making good strides in the playoffs, but this is especially true for two lucky fans who were able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Game 4 — for free.
Halifax pedestrians got an unexpected sight Thursday night when they spotted a deer in the downtown area.
Gas prices decreased slightly overnight in the Maritimes, though the price of diesel increased on Prince Edward Island.
Some Maritimers are ditching their smartphones and social media accounts in an effort to cut back on screen time.
The Winnipeg Police Service is trying to provide clarity regarding the media coverage of a robbery at a McPhillips Street business over the weekend.
Now that the jury in Donald Trump's criminal trial has made the historic decision to convict him, the judge overseeing the case will soon face a monumental choice: whether to sentence the 2024 Republican presidential candidate to time behind bars.
The Manitoba government is stepping in to help curb Winnipeg's retail theft problem.
Saskatchewan teachers have rejected the latest offer from the province that would have seen an end to a contract dispute that has now surpassed one year.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders unveiled a new alternate uniform and logo Thursday evening at a special event inside The Rider Store at Mosaic Stadium.
All scrap tires in Saskatchewan will soon be recycled by an American firm with the NDP saying a California company, who already recycles tires in the southern part of the province, now getting a contract to handle the north as well.
A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for a Kitchener man accused of attempted murder.
A Kitchener, Ont. woman has renewed hope that the province will fund a rare – and pricey – cancer drug after a local politician saw her story on CTV News.
“We are not on the beaten track, we’re off of it." But many customers are willing to make the trip out to Oakridge Acres Country Meat Store to stock up on local bison and produce.
Saskatchewan teachers have rejected the latest offer from the province that would have seen an end to a contract dispute that has now surpassed one year.
An upcoming land levy for all new single-family home builds in Saskatoon sparked plenty of debate over government responsibilities, and raised affordability concerns at City Hall on Wednesday.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders unveiled a new alternate uniform and logo Thursday evening at a special event inside The Rider Store at Mosaic Stadium.
The northern Ontario police officers involved in a case that killed a man in crisis in 2020 say they were left on their own without mental health support following the tragedy.
A Canadian immigration lawyer says now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he is technically barred from crossing the border into Canada.
After 12 years of being in and out of court, an Ontario judge has ended a Sault Ste. Marie man’s bizarre attempt to force the Soo Greyhounds to give him free tickets.
Investigators with Ontario's Fire Marshal's Office and the Goderich Fire Department have determined that the fire that levelled Watson's Home Hardware over the weekend was not intentionally set.
After nine weeks of testimony and submissions, the fate of a mother and father charged in connection with a horrific child abuse case is now in the hands of a 12-person jury.
With the Crown seeking three guilty verdicts and the defence asking for an acquittal, the closing arguments were submitted Thursday at the sexual assault trial of the former mayor of Woodstock.
New economic development opportunities await Barrie and Saginaw, MI, after signing sister city agreement.
Two Barrie residents face nearly 60 charges after police say an officer was struck by a vehicle after approaching a driver slumped over the steering wheel in Oro-Medonte.
Just as schools are letting out, a busy area in Collingwood has been closed to traffic after a collision involving an OPP cruiser and another vehicle.
Essex County OPP officers are seeking public assistance to identify three suspects in an assault case in Tecumseh.
Members of the Environment, Transportation & Public Safety Standing Committee have endorsed adding 10 red light cameras to intersections with high collision rates after seeing a reduction in collisions where these cameras already exist.
General Motors will move out of the Renaissance Center next year and, looking to the future, CEO Mary Barra doesn’t rule out the demolition of the building.
A Canadian navy sailor who brutally raped a woman on a British Columbia military base has been sentenced to three years and eight months in federal prison.
Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
British Columbia will cover the cost of an antiviral drug aimed at treating mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 as the federal government ends its coverage.
Mounties in Kelowna have deemed a fire that ripped through an automotive repair business in Kelowna over the weekend suspicious in nature.
Mounties in Kamloops are appealing for information after two recent reports of a man chasing children in a park.
Firefighters in Kelowna were busy on Sunday morning, knocking down two “major” structure fires.
A preliminary hearing has been set in a deadly stabbing in Nanton from December 2022.
The wet start to May has the City of Lethbridge's parks department delayed mowing in the city.
Just over a week ago, the Brooks Bandits were crowned BCHL Alberta division champions. Now, they have their eyes on another prize.
After 12 years of being in and out of court, an Ontario judge has ended a Sault Ste. Marie man’s bizarre attempt to force the Soo Greyhounds to give him free tickets.
The northern Ontario police officers involved in a case that killed a man in crisis in 2020 say they were left on their own without mental health support following the tragedy.
Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay joined the Ontario Health Coalition’s protest against health care privatizations and hospital closures. Demonstrations were held at Queen’s Park, Ottawa, and other Ontario cities.
The company behind a popular independent television station in Newfoundland and Labrador says it was hit by a cyberattack.
A skull was found along a backroad near St. John's more than 20 years ago. Now, police have finally identified the victim of the homicide.
Celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Troop 17 — the first class of women recruits on the national police force — the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador led a ceremonial march through a small part of downtown St. John’s on Tuesday afternoon.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
