The premiere of the documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero was delayed after a bomb threat was called in at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The Saturday night (Sept. 9) premiere of the film at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall was delayed by about 20 minutes while authorities verified that the threat wasn’t credible. Lil Nas X was kept off the red carpet during that time.
Judy Lung, vice president of public affairs and communications for TIFF, said in a statement that Toronto police investigated the vicinity of the red carpet ahead of the screening.
“Our standard security measures remained in place during this time and the screening commenced with a slight delay,” Lung said. “To our knowledge, this was a general threat and not directed at the film or the artist.”
Long Live Montero, directed by Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel, documents the pop superstar’s eight-month tour beginning in September 2022 for his full-length debut album Montero. The film also deals with Lil Nas X “navigating identity, family, expectations and acceptance, all while reflecting on his place within the legacy of Black, queer performers,” according to a press release about the project.
