TIFF 2017 - Trouble picking the lucky ticket?
It's been a while, apparently, since I have posted on this so I figured, three years late is better than... four? Anyways, tis the season for TIFF, which means in a matter of 10 days, King Street will be closed; stars will be seen walking the red carpet or elsewhere; and hundreds of movies from all over the world will be playing.
Since my first TIFF experience in high school, I have sort of considered TIFF to be my annual working staycation. It's the time of the year I get to see movies that I may never get to see ever again and a time that I can hear different directors talk about their films. To me, getting to experience all these different visions and hear from the people who create said visions is like another form of film school.
That said, when you see the seemingly endless list of films TIFF is screening each year, it's hard to pick one, let alone several to watch. Each year, I try to see between 10-20 movies, which is equally challenging when there is just no way you could actually see even half the feature films playing.
While I go off the same loglines, trailers and programmer's notes that everyone else does, I want to offer a couple tips for first-time TIFF-goers or just people who don't know where to start. These are less general tips like what TIFF and other news sources offer as much as ways that I determine what is worth the price of admission (which can range from $18-59 for adults, depending on the type of screening).
1. Who's in it and who made it?
Pretty typical way to quickly gauge interest, but I look for directors, writers or actors who might be in attendance who I have enjoyed the work of previously. However, just because I enjoy Ryan Gosling as much as the next person doesn't mean I'm going to instantly put it on my list. Why? Well...
2. When is it coming out? Does it have a release date?
This has become an equally quick way to dissuade me from paying a premium price on a movie ticket. Many of the Galas and high-profile screenings are scheduled to come out this awards season, some even days after the film premieres at the festival. Case-in-point: Darren Aronofsky's "mother!" is high on my list to see, but not at TIFF, as it comes out in theatres three days later. Obviously, it depends how important it is to you to see Aronofsky or Jennifer Lawrence or hear them talk for 15 minutes, but if it's between a $50-ish Premium ticket and a half-off Tuesday ticket at Cineplex the next week, I will save my money.
3. Don't bother with Premium screenings.
As I said before, it depends how much you want to see the hot tickets in town and how important it is for you to get a shot of your favourite celebrity on your phone. In the past, I have gone to my fair share of Premium screenings because of a director or cast member I really wanted to see. However, outside of the fact that most of the big screenings are guaranteed a wide release, a better-priced alternative is going to the big screenings' second time slot the next day. Many times over the years have I gone to the second or even third screening of a film and seen the same stars that came out to the premiere. Of course, cast/crew attendance is not guaranteed at Regular screenings, but to me, it matters more to be able to see the film, and serves as a nice bonus if I actually get to hear those involved talk afterwards.
4. Look at the Discovery program or Contemporary World Cinema.
Next to Midnight Madness, which I will touch on in a moment, these two programs are the ones I am most excited to peruse each year. Discovery is dedicated to debut feature filmmakers and CWC is fairly self-explanatory, but both offer fresh perspectives on different genres or give some insight into other cultures and communities. Some of my favourite screenings in the past few years have been from these programs, including: "Closet Monster", "Embrace of the Serpent", and "In the Crosswind".
Further to this, if there is a film from a culture I know little about or from a filmmaking community that is more sparse in terms of content, that sparks my interest as well.
For example, two films this year that caught my interest are international takes on the Western genre, a genre I find is easily subject to cliché and one I usually steer clear of. One is listed as an Indonesian feminist Western, titled "Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts". The other is conveniently also numerically related titled "Five Fingers for Marseilles", a slick-looking Western set in colonial South Africa.
5. See Midnight movies at Midnight!
Midnight Madness is by far by favourite program and has by far, the best audience. The first TIFF film I ever saw was Pascal Laugier's "Martyrs", which is a little on the heavy side...
But nonetheless, I loved it. Everyone else loved it, minus the few who definitely didn't, and since then, I have tried to make it out to as many midnight films as my brain and sleep schedule can handle. The audience at Midnight Madness is there because they are there to have fun, but also because they love the genres MM puts on display. They are there to laugh, scream, gag or cheer at whatever is playing. Even films I have seen at Midnight Madness that I didn't entirely enjoy were made more enjoyable because of the enthusiasm of those at the screening.
It's similar to when watching a movie with a person who is hating said movie, whether you are enjoying it or not. Watching a movie or experiencing any event in a more negative atmosphere obviously alters the experience.
However, if you are watching something with a whole crowd of people having a good time, it makes it easier for me to look over this or that.
6. Just pick one.
Want to see all the movies, but can't? Or want to see one movie and can't decide? Just pick one that looks cool. Who cares who is in it or what programme it's in or who else is going to see it with you, just pick a day you want to see a movie on, check the schedule and click a few that sound like something interesting. As much thought and time and effort as I put in to watching a bunch of movies one week of every year, frankly, they're just movies. Really don't know what to see? Wait for reviews to come out after the first few days or ask a friend or look up what's worth seeing on Twitter.
I've seen some good movies that I had zero clue about going into because that's the time slot that worked for me. I have also seen some movies I regret paying to see. I guarantee you can find something to see at the festival, regardless of taste.
I'll post my picks for this year's festival in a few days, but I hope these help, even a little bit, in navigating TIFF's giant selection of films to see.
Since my first TIFF experience in high school, I have sort of considered TIFF to be my annual working staycation. It's the time of the year I get to see movies that I may never get to see ever again and a time that I can hear different directors talk about their films. To me, getting to experience all these different visions and hear from the people who create said visions is like another form of film school.
That said, when you see the seemingly endless list of films TIFF is screening each year, it's hard to pick one, let alone several to watch. Each year, I try to see between 10-20 movies, which is equally challenging when there is just no way you could actually see even half the feature films playing.
 |
| Pretty much me the last two weeks of August. Cap included. |
While I go off the same loglines, trailers and programmer's notes that everyone else does, I want to offer a couple tips for first-time TIFF-goers or just people who don't know where to start. These are less general tips like what TIFF and other news sources offer as much as ways that I determine what is worth the price of admission (which can range from $18-59 for adults, depending on the type of screening).
1. Who's in it and who made it?
Pretty typical way to quickly gauge interest, but I look for directors, writers or actors who might be in attendance who I have enjoyed the work of previously. However, just because I enjoy Ryan Gosling as much as the next person doesn't mean I'm going to instantly put it on my list. Why? Well...
2. When is it coming out? Does it have a release date?
This has become an equally quick way to dissuade me from paying a premium price on a movie ticket. Many of the Galas and high-profile screenings are scheduled to come out this awards season, some even days after the film premieres at the festival. Case-in-point: Darren Aronofsky's "mother!" is high on my list to see, but not at TIFF, as it comes out in theatres three days later. Obviously, it depends how important it is to you to see Aronofsky or Jennifer Lawrence or hear them talk for 15 minutes, but if it's between a $50-ish Premium ticket and a half-off Tuesday ticket at Cineplex the next week, I will save my money.
3. Don't bother with Premium screenings.
As I said before, it depends how much you want to see the hot tickets in town and how important it is for you to get a shot of your favourite celebrity on your phone. In the past, I have gone to my fair share of Premium screenings because of a director or cast member I really wanted to see. However, outside of the fact that most of the big screenings are guaranteed a wide release, a better-priced alternative is going to the big screenings' second time slot the next day. Many times over the years have I gone to the second or even third screening of a film and seen the same stars that came out to the premiere. Of course, cast/crew attendance is not guaranteed at Regular screenings, but to me, it matters more to be able to see the film, and serves as a nice bonus if I actually get to hear those involved talk afterwards.
4. Look at the Discovery program or Contemporary World Cinema.
Next to Midnight Madness, which I will touch on in a moment, these two programs are the ones I am most excited to peruse each year. Discovery is dedicated to debut feature filmmakers and CWC is fairly self-explanatory, but both offer fresh perspectives on different genres or give some insight into other cultures and communities. Some of my favourite screenings in the past few years have been from these programs, including: "Closet Monster", "Embrace of the Serpent", and "In the Crosswind".
Further to this, if there is a film from a culture I know little about or from a filmmaking community that is more sparse in terms of content, that sparks my interest as well.
For example, two films this year that caught my interest are international takes on the Western genre, a genre I find is easily subject to cliché and one I usually steer clear of. One is listed as an Indonesian feminist Western, titled "Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts". The other is conveniently also numerically related titled "Five Fingers for Marseilles", a slick-looking Western set in colonial South Africa.
5. See Midnight movies at Midnight!
Midnight Madness is by far by favourite program and has by far, the best audience. The first TIFF film I ever saw was Pascal Laugier's "Martyrs", which is a little on the heavy side...
 |
| Maybe medium heavy. |
But nonetheless, I loved it. Everyone else loved it, minus the few who definitely didn't, and since then, I have tried to make it out to as many midnight films as my brain and sleep schedule can handle. The audience at Midnight Madness is there because they are there to have fun, but also because they love the genres MM puts on display. They are there to laugh, scream, gag or cheer at whatever is playing. Even films I have seen at Midnight Madness that I didn't entirely enjoy were made more enjoyable because of the enthusiasm of those at the screening.
It's similar to when watching a movie with a person who is hating said movie, whether you are enjoying it or not. Watching a movie or experiencing any event in a more negative atmosphere obviously alters the experience.
 |
| Why I stopped watching arthouse films with the family. |
However, if you are watching something with a whole crowd of people having a good time, it makes it easier for me to look over this or that.
6. Just pick one.
Want to see all the movies, but can't? Or want to see one movie and can't decide? Just pick one that looks cool. Who cares who is in it or what programme it's in or who else is going to see it with you, just pick a day you want to see a movie on, check the schedule and click a few that sound like something interesting. As much thought and time and effort as I put in to watching a bunch of movies one week of every year, frankly, they're just movies. Really don't know what to see? Wait for reviews to come out after the first few days or ask a friend or look up what's worth seeing on Twitter.
I've seen some good movies that I had zero clue about going into because that's the time slot that worked for me. I have also seen some movies I regret paying to see. I guarantee you can find something to see at the festival, regardless of taste.
I'll post my picks for this year's festival in a few days, but I hope these help, even a little bit, in navigating TIFF's giant selection of films to see.
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