Amidst the frivolity of parties, red carpets, dinners and flashing cameras, the Toronto International Film Festival displayed its serious side on Monday, ahead of the sixth anniversary of 9/11, with a visit from the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. The Carters were on hand to talk about Jonathan Demme's new doc, "Jimmy Carter Man from Plains" -- a triple award-winner at the recent Venice Film Festival this weekend -- that follows Carter during the period after last year's publishing of one of his most controversial books, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid."

With a mix of personal and private footage, from TV interviews to heated debates on his book tour, Carter confronts journalists and detractors while promoting his New York Times bestseller. And on Monday, the former U.S. President offered his own take on the situation.

"I fervently support Israel's security, but it's counterproductive for them to persecute the Palestinians," summarized Carter in Toronto. "I've been both surprised and nauseated by Israel's encroachment [in the West Bank.]" The former President has weathered criticism of Palestinian favoritism and even anti-Semitism since the book was published, but Carter -- who brokered a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt -- was emphatic on his support for Israel and peace, but said the country's security wall has essentially taken Palestinian land and is a source for further conflict.

As for committing to the Demme doc in the first place, Carter agreed to support the Participant Productions project, under one condition. "I told the [producers] that if it's possible to get the best director in the world to make the film, then I'd do it," he quipped during Monday's onstage interview organized by TIFF. However, his wife Rosalynn was hesitant at the concept inititally, explaining that she eventually came around, "we saw it for the first time and I liked it... I loved the film, but of course I would have liked to see more of the Carter Center in the film."

Founded by President Carter following what he calls his "forced retirement" after being defeated for re-election by Ronald Reagan in 1980, the Atlanta-based Carter Center works to promote democracy around the world in addition to combating disease amongst the world's poor. Carter said the center has programs in 70 countries and its work garnered the former U.S. commander-in-chief the Nobel Peace Prize.

"It's a good life," reflected the 82 year old Carter. "Instead of doing the lecture circuit and accumulating more money in the bank, we try to make other people's lives better," Carter told the large assembled crowd who gave him and Mrs. Carter a rapturous standing ovation after they arrived on stage. "I thought we'd go back to Plains, Georgia and be bored," said Mrs. Carter who admitted that her husband's defeat 27 years ago was "very hard," but their work with the Carter Center has, in her words, "allowed us to continue working on the things we care about."

[President Carter along with director Jonathan Demme and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter ahead of the premiere of their film, "Jimmy Carter Man From Plains" Monday afternoon. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE]