September is arguably the most exciting time in our beautiful city of Toronto, and that is mostly due to the Toronto International Film Festival; this year taking place from September 5th-15th. Whether you’re a movie buff or not, it would be just plain ignorant not to take advantage of the many amazing experiences Toronto has to offer during these 11 days. It takes some time to master the festival and how to spend your time wisely, but here are some pointers so that even the newest of noobies can make the most of the TIFF experience.
1.Tickets
There are a lot of people who seem to think that TIFF is some sort of exclusive event, but NEWSFLASH: TIFF is known for being one of the most audience-friendly film festivals in the world. It thrives on regular folk. This is not an elite affair; anyone with a few dollars can see a film. Tickets aren’t priced much more than the regular Cineplex theatre viewing, so why not sit among the stars?
There are mainly two types of screenings at TIFF, Premium Screenings and Regular Screenings. If you are 25 or under, you’re in luck, as ticket prices are significantly cheaper. A Premium Screening is essentially a film premiere, usually including a red carpet and a Q&A session. If the film is playing at Roy Thompson Hall, which is the GALA venue then there is not a Q&A but the event is much more fancy, you may want to dress up, and hang out by the extravagant red carpet.
Premium tickets are $28.25 for those 25 and Under, and are $45 for those over 25. These events are ones to cherish, if it’s a World Premiere, you may be a member of the first audience to ever see the film. Q & A Sessions give you the opportunity to ask questions to your favourite actors, directors and writers. If there’s a film that you are DYING to see at TIFF, seeing the Premium Screening may be the way to go.
Regular Screenings are all the screenings after the first (premium) screening of a film. Sometimes a film’s first screening is also regular and not premium, depending if the cast and crew are coming to Toronto for their film. Sometimes Regular Screenings that are also the first screening of a film at the festival still have the celebrities show up, red carpet and Q&A. Look out for big films that don’t have a premium screening, and you may just luck out. Also, sometimes the cast sticks around for the second screening of their film, which would be a regular screening. Therefore, you pay less but still get the “premium” perks. It’s no guarantee, but it has happened many times in the past.
Regular screenings are $17 if you are 25 or under, and $23.50 for over 25. It’s basically like watching a movie in IMAX, so why not spend that same money to see a film that may not be released for another year, or ever?
Getting Tickets
There is more than one way to buy tickets for TIFF. If you’re a keener and need that sense of security, you can purchase a Ticket Package, which gives you early selection before the single tickets go on sale. These packages start selling in July, and are usually sold out by August. This is for only the very serious movie-goers as you need to buy at least 10 tickets in a My-Flex regular pack; or 6 premiere tickets if you do the Premium package. It’s too late for that this year, but something to think about next time if you really want a full TIFF experience!
Single Tickets go on sale September 1st. There are 3 ways to buy these: In person, Online, or by calling the Box Office. It’s hard to tell if the website and phone will be reliable, so making the trip downtown could be worth it if you’re super serious about getting the movies you want. Tickets sell fast. The big films will be gone almost before single tickets even go on sale, as there are many important people who get priority. Going downtown to line up can be quite a crazy time, people line up as early as a full 24 hours beforehand. Last year TIFF fixed a lot of glitches on their website, so online proved to be a viable way to go about it. But you really never know with technology, which is a personal concern that I have and so I’m going to recommend lining up, if you get there early enough. If it’s not so urgent, then call or go online. It really depends how big the film you want to see is.
“The big films will be gone almost before single tickets even go on sale.”
Once you have your tickets, if you change your mind it is really simple to exchange. You can always visit the Box Office, which is located in the Metro Center at King and John, directly across the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. You can’t get money back, but you can switch for another film. Also films are constantly going on and off sale as people exchange their tickets, so if you missed a film you want, keep your eye out. Check the day of the screening and all the days leading up to it. Call the box office. You never know when someone has just returned a coveted ticket to your most anticipated of the festival; it could be yours.
Rush Lines
Okay, so you didn’t get a ticket to Gravity (one of this year’s most anticipated films at TIFF, starring the oh so dreamy George Clooney). Well, don’t give up just yet! TIFF has this cool thing called rush lines. Basically a whole bunch of seats are saved for sponsors, but they don’t always show. Nor do all the people who bought tickets. Life happens, right? About 5 minutes before/into the screening of a film, any seats in the theatre that are not filled are given to the people who waited hours and hours in the rush line. And yes, you will have to sacrifice hours of your time waiting if you want to make it in the rush line of a film. Lots of people line up for it. Not so many seats are usually available, but if you’re near the front, you have a shot. Sometimes no one gets in. Sometimes 50 people get in. If you NEED to see George Clooney and Sandra Bullock floating around in space before the rest of the world, then stand in that rush line.
Red Carpets
As discussed earlier, Premium Screenings have red carpets. Well, believe it or not, there is a science to this. Some venues are better for red carpets than others, for one thing. Roy Thompson Hall which hosts all the Galas of the festival has the best red carpet experience, but you may want to get there super early if you want a picture with Meryl Streep. That goes for all red carpets. GET THERE EARLY. It cannot be stressed enough. Crowds and crowds of people wait for their favourite celebrities. Don’t be that asshole who tries to push through to the front. You will be attacked, I promise you.
A tip here, if your favourite celebrity is in a film and you want to see their film and take a picture with them, then you have to make a choice. Or you have to have a really good friend who will save you a seat in the theatre and sacrifice meeting said celebrity themselves. If you’re going to be waiting around for hours to meet James Franco, then you won’t have time to get a spot in line for the film. You could even risk losing a spot in the theatre if you don’t get in fast enough, as they let that rush line in pretty quickly after the film starts. The line for the film usually starts going into the theatre as the red carpet is happening, it’s nearly impossible to do both. Getting a good seat in the theatre is something important too, it gives you a good shot at the Q and A and sometimes you end up sitting among the cast. So either make sure someone saves you a seat, or go to the red carpet of the film and then buy a ticket for a later screening. It’s the best way to get both experiences.
The red carpets for venues like Princess of Wales and the Winter Garden/Elgin Theatres are kind of lame. Because they’re situated on the street, it’s hard to get to your favourite stars. Ryerson has a nice long carpet, as does Roy Thompson Hall. Those two venues are the easiest to actually meet and grab a picture and autograph with the stars. Films screened at the multiplex theatres like Scotiabank and TIFF Bell Lightbox are unlikely to have a red carpet at all. The cast may show up at the smaller theatres, such as Isabel Bader and Bloor Hot Docs, but it may not be as formal of an event.
Movies
So now that you know how to get tickets, the big decision needs to be made. What do you see? TIFF has nearly 300 films, and is one of the top four film festivals in the world (alongside Cannes, Venice and Sundance, as commonly slated) so there is ample selection. This year’s TIFF is star studded and is showcasing many of the huge Oscar buzz films for 2013. Among these films we have August: Osage County (Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Pulitzer Prize winning play), The Fifth Estate (Benedict Cumberbatch headlines Wikileaks drama), Gravity (Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in space), 12 Years a Slave (Michael Fassbender reteams with Steve McQueen), Labor Day (Jason Reitman directs Kate Winslet) and that’s just the top of the iceberg. The Special Presentations section is filled with celebrities, and that is regardless of if it is a big budget film or a small indie flick. You can find some great gems among the Special Presentations and the Gala Programmes. Some of the best films of the year will be screened here, and even with big names, some of these won’t get picked up and will go straight to DVD. Or just disappear into thin air. That being said, if you’re a bit more adventurous and want to expand your cinematic horizons, even though you can definitely still do this with a film in these two sections, you might want to try something a little outside the box. TIFF has many programs and each one can cater to a different side of your interests. So you want to see Joseph Gordon Levitt at TIFF. Well, his movie Don Jon is slated for release this September. Maybe you could wait a little longer for the film, catch him at the red carpet and maybe get an autograph, but then go see a smaller film that is not coming to a theatre near you.
Here are a breakdown of the TIFF Programs and some films that stand out:
Galas
Big red carpet premieres, this is where you will see Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and Ewan Mcgregor all in once place for their film August: Osage County. The film promises to be a major player at this year’s Academy Awards, but anyone with a theatre nearby will definitely have the chance to watch it when it comes out this Christmas. If you want to see a Gala at TIFF, maybe go for something that will be harder to find later on. Two Galas at TIFF that look particularly great, (and have rave reviews coming out of Sundance for one and Cannes for the other) are Kill Your Darlings the beat generation biopic with Daniel Radcliffe and Dane Dehaan, and The Lunchbox, the Indian love story starring India’s legend Irrfan Khan. Both these films may or may not get picked up, but as smaller releases they may only play in select theatres.
Special Presentations: This is the big programme at TIFF which features most of the well-known actors and buzzed about films. There is a huge variety of films just within this program, and some that may stick out include Gravity, Don Jon and the Jake Gyllenhaal/Hugh Jackman driven thriller Prisoners. All of these look to be great films, and if you want to see Jake and Hugh on the red carpet, then by all means, go to the red carpet! However, Prisoners is released in theatres a mere five days after the festival ends. I suggest practicing a little patience here and checking out something that may not see the light of day. Despite a very notable cast including James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain and Viola Davis, The Disappearance of Elanour Rigby: Him and Her (my personal most anticipated of the festival) looks to be one you may want to see at TIFF. The film is a three-hour long “work in progress”, that is, it may not even technically be finalized yet. It’s two films in one, the first half dedicated to the male’s perspective on his relationship and the second half devoted to hers. The debut feature from Ned Benson, ideas as quirky as this one may be one of those see it now or never ordeals.
Masters: Acclaimed art house directors are collected in this program, and though many of these names may not be known to most, an interesting time at the movies is guaranteed. My picks for the Masters programme are Our Sunhi which just received high acclaim at the Locarno Film Festival, and Triptych, simply because it just looks so good; about three people’s lives who intersect based on Robert Lepage’s theatre piece Lipsynch.
Mavericks: The program that keeps the cinematic conversation going; this features live on-stage conversations with various film industry people. The highlight: a conversation with director Spike Jonze, the man behind the camera for such films as Being John Malkovich and Where the Wild Things Are, who will be previewing clips from his new film Her starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johanssen (and which looks amazing).
Discovery: First time directors galore, but the most intriguing one here is Gia Coppola (granddaughter of Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola), directing James Franco’s bizarre collection of short stories, Palo Alto. Even with names that big, this may not see the light of day after TIFF, so I’d catch it here if you were interested.
TIFF Docs: Documentaries seem to go over-looked to the average movie goer, which is a shame, especially since TIFF is known to screen many of the ones that go on to the Oscars. A stand-out here is Dog, which tells the true story behind the Sidney Lumet classic, Dog Day Afternoon, about a man who robs a bank to afford his lover’s sex-change operation.
Contemorary World Cinema: This program highlights many of the foreign films at TIFF this year, although other foreign outputs are amongst all the programs. This is a really strong collection of films, but some stand-outs include Bad Hair, about a young boy’s obsession with straightening his hair leading to a homophobic panic (from Venezuela); or the Romanian film by acclaimed director Corneliu Porumboiu When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism, a film about a director making his film within the film.
Wavelengths and Short Cuts Canada: Feeling a little daring? Experimental? Try out one of the Wavelengths or Short Film programmes, A lot of these are packaged, as the films are short and so you can see 4 or 5 at once. One film with a lot of buzz out of the Wavelengths program is MANAKANAMA, which follows a cable car and the people who board it in Nepal, from the same director as last year’s hit Leviathan.
City to City: Every year TIFF highlights a city and showcases its films. This year the city is Athens, Greece. The films here all sound really interesting; a stand out being Wasted Youth which is based on a real-life tragedy in Athens and the cop and teenage skateboarder who are bound to cross paths.
Vanguard: This may be the scariest collection of films at TIFF, or at least the strangest and most provocative. A few highlights include the revenge flick Blue Ruin and the horror novel adaptation Horns starring Daniel Radcliffe as a man who grows horns after being accused of killing his ex-girlfriend.
Midnight Madness: Midnight Madness is known to be the most fun you can have at TIFF. Watching crazy, bizarre and frightening films in a theatre filled with horror-fanatics and at midnight; could it be any better? This year’s selection features the new flick from horror master Eli Roth, Green Inferno which is about cannibalism. There’s also one about a haunted mirror called OCULUS, so that is sure to keep you away from your reflection for a while.
Special Events: What would TIFF be without a few special events? The highlight here, and possibly my most anticipated aspect of the whole festival, is Jason Reitman’s Live Read. The Canadian director known for such films as Juno, Up in the Air, and Thank You for Smoking brings his live read back to Toronto (he did American Beauty last year which featured Bryan Cranston as Lester Burnham) and is an event he frequents in New York and LA. It’s always a star-studded cast, and it is undeniably a one of a kind experience. Seasoned actors take on an old film script cold; you do not want to miss it. The film has yet to be announced this year, but it is rumoured to be huge so do not miss this event!
Volunteering
It’s too late to apply for this year, but you see all those people in over-sized orange t-shirts? Well, you could be one of them! A great way to get another side of the TIFF experience is by volunteering. You get paid with movies, make friends, and maybe get to have a quick conversation with Emma Watson. You also get to go to the always fun industry/volunteer party when it’s all over. Mingle, mingle, mingle!
Other Wonderful Quick Tips
-TIFF is a great place to meet friends who are just as cinematically obsessed as you are. Talk to people in line ups, discuss what you’ve seen, this is a good way to learn about films you may not have thought of seeing before. TIFF gives you an excuse to talk to strangers and be social.
-Stay in the loop with TIFF via Social Media. If you want to know the low-down, learn about secret events, win tickets to stuff, find out where Kate Winslet is currently eating dinner, then get on the Twitter/Facebook/FourSquare etc. platform. Follow any and everyone involved with TIFF. Type TIFF into the search engine and you’ll get a good list. TIFF events are mostly exclusive, but if you’re in the right place at the right time (thanks to your creepy lurking tendencies, which are a must at TIFF) then maybe you can find your way in. Websites like Toronto.com or The Grid can usually inform you about where to go for the fun stuff.
-Keep your eyes and ears open at all times. You never know when someone super famous is just strolling down Yonge Street.
-Many celebrities attend their friends films. The average joe sitting in the theatre may not be so average at all. He might be Edward Norton or Ewan McGregor. Go say hi! You clearly have the same taste in film.
-Visit www.tiff.net to get all the information about everything else you could possibly need to know. Spend some time going through film descriptions and trailers. Download the TIFF App if you have a smartphone.
After all of that has been said, TIFF 2013 is sure to be a hectic and amazing time. Maybe your budget does not allow for a ton of films, but see one and make a day of it! Go around Yorkville, stalk celebrities, wait in crazy line-ups, meet new people. It’s all good fun at TIFF. Just being in the city, you will feel the excitement that is unanimous with the festival. Remember that single tickets go on sale September 1st, and the festival is from the 5th-15th. It’s time to get your TIFF on!
Adriana Floridia
Contributor
