As a Film Studies minor, I am honored to be able to attend events pertaining to film and other adjacent subjects. Last month, I was privileged enough to go to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) as part of a “study abroad” program (a six-hour bus ride from Lansing) through the Film Studies program, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I was able to see celebrities, watch films at their global premiere, and make amazing memories with the other people on the trip.Â
First and foremost, the Toronto International Film Festival is one of the biggest film festivals in the world, and for good reason. Showing over 400 films from around the world during the course of a two-week period, the festival has risen up the ranks for quality and variety. Occurring every fall season, world premieres, celebrities, and future popular films are showcased while the festival is running. To attend the festival, you can either buy individual tickets for each film or buy guest packages that have various benefits, allowing you to attend films, conferences, and other fun events.
As part of our guest packages, the students and I were given a conference pass. What this meant was that not only were we allowed to go to all film viewings (except strictly invitation-only screenings), but we were also able to go to VIP events, conferences, and networking events. This opened the gates for the amount of opportunities we were able to attend, and it resulted in most of us being out in the festival from sunrise to night time.
There were two ways that one could watch a film at the festival – you could either buy a ticket or wait in what was called a rush line. For each of the XXX locations where one could see a film, they had a limited number of seats, and buying a ticket ensured that you would have a spot in the theater. However, they (naturally) cost money, and it would add up to a great sum if you bought tickets for each movie you’re going to see. Instead, with a conference pass, we were able to stand in the rush line and wait to get in as long as there were seats available. Essentially, once all ticketed spots were taken, volunteers at each location would go down the queue of a line and let people in until the theater was full.
The only caveat for waiting in the rush line was you had to wait a long time – hours, usually. For bigger-name movies and world premieres, you could stand in line for 6+ hours, and that still would not guarantee you a spot in the theater. What this meant was that for most of the festival, we were waiting in line for a film we might be able to see.
While this sounds like a big disadvantage, rushing films was actually fun! First and foremost, most locations had multiple movie theaters and were showing multiple films almost back to back to each other, so if you couldn’t get into the film you wanted, you had a better chance of getting into another film that was either showing in a different theater or was showing a bit later. Furthermore, the bulk of the time would fly by quickly as you got to talk to other people around you. With everyone waiting in line having a common love of films, it was easy to strike up a conversation with someone on what they’ve seen so far, their opinions and hot takes, as well as what they do for a living – especially if they work in the film industry! Talking with strangers became commonplace, and I would say it was one of my favorite parts of the film festival.
Another favorite aspect of the Toronto Film Festival, specifically for me, was Midnight Madness. For each night of the film festival, there would be a midnight screening of a film at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. These films were ones you would typically imagine as having a cult following, such as comedies, horror, and horror comedies. Furthermore, everyone was pumped to see these films. The volunteers would do a call-and-response call for “MIDNIGHT, MADNESS!” while you were waiting in the rush line, and they would also give out items like candy and merchandise. It was clear that there was a different energy for the Midnight Madness program, and it was a great way to end the night with excitement.Â
Inside the theater, the culture was completely different as well. I’ve never been in a movie theater before where shouting and laughing together was commonplace, and it made the entire experience all the more enjoyable. “Inside” jokes for the commercials/ads before the films played, such as collectively shouting “Rrrr!” during a copyright warning, made the air feel energetic. The most notable films I’ve seen at the festival, including “Friendship” (2024) and “Dead Talent’s Society” (2024), were from the Midnight Madness program. While the films were enjoyable and fun, going to see a film that late with your friends and others as excited as you are was an amazing experience, and it was something that I looked forward to each night.Â
Of course, it was amazing to have the opportunity to watch so many new films, especially the films from other countries. While seeing and hearing about the world premieres of big-named films was cool, having the chance to see a film in a theater that I would certainly not be able to see in a theater in the United States was very eye-opening and made me realize how small the film world could be. I was immensely grateful to have the opportunity to watch these foreign films and give praise to this art, and it made me want to expand my film knowledge to include more of the world.
Being able to see the world premieres of Western films, amazing foreign films, celebrities, and being around other film lovers was a great experience. Attending TIFF made me love the art of film so much more and appreciate how film can connect with others across countries, cultures, and identities. Not only do I recommend the Toronto International Film Festival, but I recommend attending any film festival to have these experiences – they’re eye-opening, exciting, and a great way to connect with art that will make you more appreciative of the world.