In the arena of Toronto’s rising fashion figures Kyle Kofsky may not be on your lips but after FAT, Toronto’s Alternative Fashion Week, he will be. The man who started the artist collective Everyone Is An Artist is out to consummate the relationship with fashion and film through FAT’s new IFFF Series (International Fashion Film Festival). In its inaugural year during FAT 2011, this highly anticipated film series is the first of its kind in Canada and being watched by designers and film makers around the world.

The intention of the series was not produce endlessly long commercials for the participating designers. Remember Calvin Klein’s wickedly avant-garde and deliciously mocked, 10-minute Obsession commercial in the 80s? Forget that, as these films are far cooler than Lady Gaga could ever hope to be. Some films were we done in a week while others took about a month.  So I had to find out more about the man behind the chic lenses. In an interview exclusively for GayGuideToronto.com I asked Kofsky why you should be excited about this new series during FAT?

Max MacDonald: Kyle how did you come up with the idea for the IFFF series?

Kyle Kofsky: Vanja Vasic, the Executive Director of FAT, and I have worked together in the past. Last year I entered a film called A Love Story which had couture costumes by Kelly Henderson of Harsh Designs. Vanja and I brainstormed about the idea of merging designers and film makers. We didn’t want it to be a visual look book or have any type of television commercial feeling but have a real merger of clothes and film. She found the designers and I found the film makers.  We worked on the title of for the longest time and decided on “IFFF”. The marriage of fashion and film is like white on rice.

MM: What are your favourite films submitted to IFFF?

KK:  Starting the series on Tuesday, April 26th Gaudet: Fashion House by Zenon Turczyn and Shawn Venasse, on the same night : Pat McDonagh directed by Billie Mintz,  finally on Friday, April 29^th: Jessica Jensen directed by Lynn Kamm for this film there was a trip to Asia and the launch of a new item involved which almost didn’t happen. These are the three which stand out in my mind but all of them are excellent in their own right.

MM: Was there any you said “no” to as the proposed idea was too crazy for FAT?

KK: No, this year was IFFF’s premiere so we embraced the unusual. We knew what we were going to get as many of the film makers I knew of or worked with previously. This series is a complete change to Canadian film landscape as most people don’t have “the balls” to make films such as these. We wanted to celebrate the artists who do.  By the end of May 2011 or shortly after IFFF will go online where there will be an online application to submit projects for 2012.

MM: Finally being the co-founder of the IFFF Series, who do you wear?

KK: Hmmm, well I wear LOFT, APC, Marc Jacobs, and Banana Republic. I wear Banana Republic because of the fit of their t-shirts. Though I know it’s not out there but I believe you shouldn’t stop wearing one designer just because it’s not fashionable, if the fit is good on you, wear it because it looks good.

For more information on the entire IFFF series and FAT visit: getfat.ca

This week I have some goodies for you that will get you out of your seat one way or the other.

The FAT = Alternative Fashion Week Casting Call

Toronto Alternative Fashion Week holding a cast call on Sunday, March 27,for models to work the runway. Don’t worry FAT is not looking for supermodels, quite the opposite, they want the usual, bizarre and those who normally would walk the runway. So if you dream walking the runway run don’t walk to this casting call. Then let me know if you make it. You could find your catwalk debut in a future entry of Style Guy.

Where to go: 60 Atlantic Avenue (in Liberty Village dears), 2nd Floor. The call is from 12-6 p.m.

Lady Gaga’s Mugler Music

If you’ve been following me on Facebook all this week you know I’m insane for Lady Gaga’s (I was NEVER a huge fan of Lady Gaga until I heard this so you know it has to be kick-ass cool) music she did for her recent catwalk appearance for Thierry Mugler. The video I’m currently nuts over is the video installation which was done as the background for the F/W 11 menswear show featuring Montreal-based, zombie, performer and tattooed-artist Rico G.Not only is this tres cool, dark, surreal and mysterious it’s got clips of the collection. Trust me, between the music and watching the Rico, you forget there’s actually hot clothes going down the runway. I dare you to sit still when you hear this song and not prance…I double dare you!

Okay Poodles, here it is. I just turned 44. I’m 350 lbs and my only cardio is eating chips. Which I’m very good at. I even have a shirt dedicated to the task. But it’s not good and I’m not proud. So when the advertising team at 103.9 Proud FM came to me to see if I wanted to work out with G-Force Training, I was insulted! “Are you calling me fat?” …is what I would’ve yelled if the very act of being insulted hadn’t winded me. So I took it as a hint from God and I jumped at the chance. Okay, I didn’t exactly jump…that’s too much like exercise, but I did see this as a once in a lifetime chance at taking control of my fat fatty fag fat ways and making a change in my life. Let’s face it, youth and fitness are lost on the young. I’d rather be fit in my later years so that I can still get out of bed, go to the toilet AND wipe my own ass without the help of some registered stranger. But I digress. Let me first say that I hate working out. I don’t like sweating. I don’t enjoy muscle fatigue (what did you call me) and I don’t glow in any kind of post workout high. It’s a main reason why I’m fat. Hell, I don’t even like video games with too much running and jumping. I would never come up with “working out” as an activity on my own which is why the G-Force opportunity is so great. Gidon, my trainer and owner of G-Force comes to my place twice a week and works me out for an hour…cool down and meditation included. He brings all the equipment so there’s nothing to buy unless you need sweat clothes. I sweat so much that I consider all my clothes sweat clothes but that’s not what Gidon meant. Anyway, he varies my workout so I don’t get bored and he’s structured a meal plan designed to keep me from self sabotaging all my sweaty, whiney efforts. Did I mention that I live moments away from a Baskin Robins? Jesus hates me. It’s probably because I’m gay. But again, I digress. Seriously, working out is not an activity I would come up with on my own but I am loving the results! I’m two weeks into our 3 month program and my balance is better, I’m not so winded when I walk up the 4 flights of stairs to my apartment (yes, you heard me…fatty lives on four) and I’ve already lost 10 lbs! Suck on that Doritos! Needless to say I’m thrilled. I still don’t like the idea of working out but I’m liking what working out does! Already I’m seeing a change in my endurance and and it’s totally improved my quality of sleep at night. So I’ll be keeping you up to date about my trials and tribs in the fitness field over the next 2 and a half months and touting the fabulousness that is G-Force! Seriously, if you want to change your life, change your trainer…and give away that chip eatin’ shirt!

Brace yourself. I’m about to gush with excitement and trust me, any of the two men I’ve ever dated will tell you, I don’t gush! For one glorious day Gleethe best TV show show ever, will merge with 103.9 PROUD FM to create the epicenter of Global Gleek-dom: 103.9 Glee FM! Seriously, I wouldn’t lie about this! On Monday April 12, to launch their return to TV on Tuesdays, and to complete of season 1; Season 1? I thought this was season 2. Hell, with that hiccup in programming last year it should be season 2.5 But this nerd-vanna isn’t Battlestar Gallactica and … I digress. For one glorious day, Glee is taking over Proud FM and why shouldn’t they? What better place for a show about outcasts and social pariahs to promote themselves than on a radio station that caters to a community of those very outcast? I’m talking homos people! I’m also talking Gimps, Foreigners, Fatties and Whores. But homos have it worse! Let me paint a picture for you: My public school had a bunch of deaf students, some with one hearing aide, some with two, they were all in one class no matter what age they were despite the fact that they were there in the first place to integrate them into the public school system. Well these poor deaf bitches didn’t stand a chance! They were tortured daily during recess! It was relentless…that was until Fat Fatty Fag Fat showed up. Yep, I was a two fer: fat AND gay! It was like Bulley Heaven on Earth. Even the gimpy deaf kids picked on me. Sometimes I feel it’s our planet’s hate of gays that truly holds us together. Which is why I love Glee and am happy to let them take over my gay radio station! That show reminds us that we’re not alone and that no matter how many “slushy facials” we got or how many times we were thrown in a dumpster (they had the football team throw me … seriously, I was one huge fat fatty fag fat!) we can still pull ourselves out of the garbage, wipe ourselves off and throw down a fabulous musical number including backup dancers! As Christina Aguilera once sang: Thanks for making me stronger! Now bring on Glee FM! Okay, she didn’t actually say the last part but if we were friends, like we are in the theatre of my mind, she fucking would have!