The Toronto International Film Festival.
Known, more commonly, as TIFF. TIFF is…amazing. Incredible. Absolutely fantastic, if you’re a film junkie like me. Every year, Toronto hosts a film festival, and all of Hollywood flocks to Canada. For two weeks, the city celebrates movies: actors, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers…they all come to Toronto to see their masterworks premiere on the silver screen. It’s a collection of talent and a stellar representation of craftsmanship. You have the opportunity to see movies months before they actually debut; you have the chance to meet the filmmakers behind the movies you love; you can even see your favorite moviestars walk the red carpet. You never know who you might see at TIFF.
The thing about movies is that they’re great. They’re universal. They’re living pieces of art that transcend language and culture. If you can’t tell, film is my passion – I’m actually a TFA (Television and Film Arts) major – and I had the incredible opportunity to go to TIFF this year. I can’t say enough about the festival. It’s just…something. For someone like me, it’s so, so exciting to be surrounded by people who share your passion. You’re surrounded by fans and critics alike – people who share a mutual love of movies and stories and the fantastic art up there on the screen. It’s just an amazing feeling. The talent is unbelievable. I had the opportunity to see modern marvels like Woody Harrelson, Hailee Steinfeld, and, one of my personal heroes, Rob Reiner. And for you sports fans out there, I even got a glimpse of Jack Eichel – Toronto just doesn’t disappoint.
But back to the films. Back to the movies. I’m so incredibly grateful to Jeffrey Hirschberg and Buffalo State for providing this incredible opportunity. We’re so lucky at our school to have passionate professors. I’m convinced that TFA is one of the most rewarding majors this school has to offer – but enough shameless plugging, let me tell you more about TIFF.
My classmates and I had wonderful experiences. I know some of them were lucky enough to see Gerard Butler and Jason Sudeikis. Some of them even got into the ultra-exclusive screening of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s new movie, La La Land. I can say, for a fact, that each and every one of us had an amazing time. We were allotted one ticket per day (courtesy of the school), and the rest of the time we were free to rush the other movies we wanted to see. I heard great things about The Headhunter’s Calling, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, City of Tiny Lights, La La Land, Amanda Knox, and Buster’s Mal Heart. I personally got to see LBJ – and it was a fantastic film. Woody Harrelson was phenomanal as President Lyndon B. Johnson – and Rob Reiner did an amazing job directing (Rob Reiner has been in just about everything, you might know him from The Wolf of Wall Street – he also directed The Princess Bride!) Reiner was even there for a Q&A session after the movie, and he had so much to say. He was passionate, educated, and so well-spoken. I was in the second row, and let me tell you, it was crazy to be so close to one of my idols.
Toronto is a beautiful city, and we were lucky enough to stay at a five-star hotel – the renowned Fairmont Royal York. It was gorgeous. I can’t say enough about the hotel, the city, and the people. The volunteers at TIFF are so polite, and most of the moviegoers are so eager to chat. I met so many nice people – and it was just such a great experience to be surrounded by so many people who love film as much as I do.
A lot of these films will be coming out over the next few months, so make sure you keep an eye out for them! A lot of them will – no doubt – be contenders for Golden Globes and Academy Awards. Whether you’re a casual moviegover or a film fanatic, TIFF has something for everyone. To all my fellow film students, this is an incredible opportunity to learn and connect. If you’re part of TFA, think about going! And if you’re not, why not just make the trip yourself? Toronto is only a short drive away, and I promise you, it’s worth it. Take a chance on a new foreign film, or see a blockbuster debut – it’s all exciting, breathtaking, and unbelievably fresh. Get a new perspective, learn, create – get inspired. Get out there, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. I wasn’t.
TIFF 2016 was certainly an adventure, and I can’t wait until next year. But, whatever your passion – make sure you chase it. Whether it’s film, teaching, fashion, science…go and explore, out there, in the real world. That’s where life happens. That’s where TIFF happened.