There is something I love about September in Toronto.
The summer crowds begin to thin at the beach, the first hints of fall appear, and downtown gets ready for one of my favourite times of year:
TIFF.
The Toronto International Film Festival is back, and for nearly two weeks, the city takes centre stage on the international film calendar. And for someone who loves film, it is one of the best times to be in the city.
I’ve always loved film
I’ve had the thrill of attending the Venice Film Festival three times, as well as the New York Film Festival, and those experiences deepened my appreciation for what a film festival can be. There is something special about seeing a premiere film surrounded by people who are equally curious about it — wondering what we are about to see, discovering a filmmaker we may not know, and then talking about it afterwards. That's the magic of film festivals. But my love of film goes beyond the entertainment.
Film can educate us.
It can take us somewhere we have never been. Introduce us to another culture. Make us understand a period of history from a completely different perspective. Give us a glimpse into someone else's life. Challenge an opinion we didn't even realize we held. Sometimes a two-hour film can teach you more about a place, a person or a moment in history than a textbook ever could. And sometimes, of course, it can simply be a really great two hours. I'll take both.
TIFF takes over King Street
During the festival, King Street West becomes a fascinating collision of Toronto and Hollywood. There are red carpets, photographers, premieres, fans gathered outside theatres and the inevitable moment when someone says, “Was that…?” Yes. Probably. Or perhaps just someone who looks remarkably like them.
The restaurants are busy - from Yorkville to King Street and beyond. But during the festival, there is an extra buzz. Actors, directors, journalists, filmmakers and movie lovers are all sharing the same neighbourhood. You might be sitting at dinner and have no idea who is at the next table. And that's part of the fun.
The films are the real attraction For all the red carpets and celebrity sightings, it is the films that matter. TIFF has always been a place to discover something new — films from around the world, documentaries, emerging filmmakers and big premieres that generate conversation long after the festival ends. Some will be brilliant. Some will be thought-provoking. Some will leave you wondering why you just spent two hours of your life watching them. That, too, is part of the experience. You don't go to a festival expecting to love everything. You go to discover.
There is something about watching a film together. Streaming has made it wonderfully easy to watch almost anything, almost anytime. But sitting in a theatre is different. You hear the collective laughter. You feel the silence. You hear the applause at the end. And then comes the best part: walking out and talking about what you've just seen.
Was it brilliant? Was it terrible? Did you understand the ending? And, most importantly, what would you have done? Film gives us something to talk about — and sometimes something to think about long after the credits roll.
From Wasaga Beach to King Street
There is a lovely rhythm to this time of year. The birds are beginning their migration south. We begin ours in the opposite direction. They head south. We head back to the city. After a summer of long walks, beach days and watching nature prepare for its own seasonal transition, September brings us back to Toronto.
And what a city to come back to. Restaurants, theatre, galleries, concerts, friends — and TIFF. Toronto in September has an energy all its own.
A city that knows how to put on a show
That's perhaps what I love most about TIFF. It isn't trying to turn Toronto into Hollywood. Toronto doesn't need to pretend. We have our own film industry, our own culture, our own extraordinary restaurants and theatres — and a city full of people who genuinely love the arts. For a few weeks, the world comes to Toronto to celebrate film. And we get to enjoy the show.
