Lil Nas X Documentary Premiere Delayed Due To Bomb Threat

The highly anticipated world premiere of Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) faced a significant disruption on Saturday, September 9th, when a security alert led to a temporary delay in the event’s schedule at the Roy Thomson Hall.

This documentary, directed by Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel, promises an intimate exploration of the life of the Grammy Award-winning artist, Lil Nas X. The film follows him on his “Long Live Montero Tour,” aiming to reveal a more personal side of the chart-topping artist known for hits like “INDUSTRY BABY.”

Just prior to the evening’s event, festival organizers received a notification from local authorities regarding a bomb threat specifically targeting the premiere. In the interest of ensuring the safety of everyone involved, including Lil Nas X, attendees, and the event staff, a brief postponement was necessary to allow for a thorough investigation of the threat.

A spokesperson for TIFF provided clarification on the situation, stating, “Our standard security protocols remained in effect during this period, and the screening eventually commenced with a minor delay. It is important to note that this threat appeared to be general in nature and was not specifically aimed at the film or the artist.”

A representative from the Toronto Police Service also commented on the incident, explaining, “During the TIFF event yesterday, an individual made a non-specific threat towards private security personnel. As a precautionary measure, the Toronto police and private security conducted a thorough sweep of the area and cleared it within 20 minutes. The threat was found to be non-specific and not directed at any particular individual.”

Fortunately, after the security assessment was completed, the screening of Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero proceeded as planned. Lil Nas X himself graced the red carpet, accompanied by his father and two nephews, before heading into the venue.

Additional showings of Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero are scheduled to run until September 17th. As of now, there is no official release date for the film on streaming platforms.

In the broader context of potential security concerns for artists, it’s worth noting that Lil Nas X recently encountered an incident at Lollapalooza Stockholm where a sex toy was thrown onstage during his performance. Although he was not hit, the rapper humorously reacted to the incident, asking, “Who threw their ‘gift’ onstage?”