It felt a little silly to wear two hats and a tux.

But I had chosen to do double duty at Monday night's world premiere of "Nothing But the Truth," the made-in-Memphis film starring Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga, Angela Bassett, Alan Alda -- and featuring a few local faces.

One of my figurative hats was as reporter/paparazzi at the Toronto International Film Festival, covering NBTT and a handful of other films with Memphis connections. Some of that is already on John Beifuss' The Bloodshot Eye, thebloodshoteye.com where I've done some guest blogging.

The other chapeau (in Canada you have to do certain things in French) was as a cast member of NBTT. I managed to get a small speaking part in the film and was determined to wallow in my first Hollywood premiere. After all, there might not be another.

Linn Sitler, commissioner of the Memphis and Shelby County Film and TV Commission, was at TIFF to remind all involved how good the city was for the production. The commission labored before, during and after the production to keep things on track. In return, NBBT spent some $3.5 million, employing about 90 crew members and using local talent.

James Spies, an executive producer on NBTT, said, "We loved Memphis and working there and the people there. The commission was extremely helpful and we can't wait to come back." Spies said other projects in the works were looking at coming to Memphis.

Sitler promoted the city at every opportunity at the film festival. She cornered producers and talked up the state's incentives to make movies, lobbied filmmakers and engaged every cinephile she stood next to in any of the many lines at TIFF.

From the premiere screening to the cast dinner and through the afterparty -- we were in formal attire all the way -- she developed a line of patter boosting Memphis while introducing me as journalist and cast member. "You Memphis people must do everything" said one bemused PR guy who had asked where our film crew was and realized that Sitler and I were it: really well dressed government official, camera operator, audio tech, reporter and actor.

This pure aggression got us inside the velvet rope for some footage of Beckinsale and Farmiga as they posed winningly for photographers before the screening. It also induced a lady standing in line to ask for my autograph in her TIFF program. Now that'll be a rare collectible.

The screening was held in the 2,630-seat Roy Thomson Hall in downtown Toronto and we were in what must have been VIP seats so high up that we could touch the lights.

Writer/director Rod Lurie introduced the film recalling the good reception he got eight years ago in Toronto for his movie "The Contender." "Please make it good again," he implored the crowd.

Earlier in the day he had talked about how the film addresses freedom of speech and the press. "The press keeps in line those that have power over us," he said. "And if those people who have power over us can now have power over the press, then what's the point?

The film is virtually all Memphis, inside and out, but it's disguised as the Washington, D.C., area.

Judge D'Army Bailey was promoted to Supreme Court Justice for the term of the film, sitting with several learned jurors as they listened to Alan Alda's character plead for the sanctity of the First Amendment. Another local with a plum part was Jenny Odle Madden as Beckinsale's first jail bunkmate.

I marveled that my scene survived intact. Too bad I can't tell you about it. A pivotal plot point is involved and it would be churlish to spoil it for you.

What can be said is that Lurie got his wish as the crowd gave the film a standing ovation. Sitler stood and clapped, too, although she was keeping her eye peeled to make sure Memphis and Shelby County and other important individuals and institutions were properly acknowledged in the credits.

We then were off to the cast dinner which was a riot of talent, beauty and money (even though I don't fit into any of those categories). Lurie held court and bragged on Memphis, Alda charmed, Beckinsale enchanted and Farmiga glowed in her pregnancy. Oscar winner Adrian Brody dropped by to schmooze, sponsors from AMC moved about, money people discussed development plans and the chef received the thanks of the beautiful multitude.

It was, by the way, an excellent moment when Beckinsale told me, "Oh, you were good! I really thought you were ...."

I wish I could tell you what she said.