Toronto Film Festival 2008
TIFF Today: September 13, 2008
Photo: Kate Beckinsale on the red carpet by Ryan Coleman.
It's over. Almost.
Today is the last day of the Toronto International Film Festival, and honestly, I spent my night partying the festival away last night, so that's why this update is a little late. Apologies.
It has been a good festival for partying, I'll admit that. Whether it was a good festival for everything else has yet to be decided.
Eye Weekly's blog has an article asking if this year's TIFF was the "worst film festival ever" and Tim was interviewed by CTV asking if the festival has become too elitist. The verdict by most: a resounding yes.
It hasn't been all bad, to be honest. While Matt Mazur from PopMatters (as published in the Kansas City Star) was disappointed by the "jerks on Blackberrys and iPhones," he had a lot of good things to say about the festival and about Toronto itself — including shout outs for the Queen Mother Cafe, the helpful volunteers, and friendly Canadians on the whole.
If you're looking to send off the festival in style, TIFF is hosting a free outdoor concert and wrap party in Yonge Dundas Square tonight. The party will feature performances by Esthero, The Midway State, and Cadence Weapon, kicks off at 8pm tonight, and is open to anyone in the city.
Finally, if you're not looking to party but instead looking to catch a screening some time today, here are a few films that have been getting some good buzz but might have slipped under your radar. (They all still have tickets available too!) If you do decide to check any of them out, let us know what you think of them!
Happy festivaling! Keep checking blogTO over the next few days for wrapup and final coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival.
Discussion
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Anyone who's bothered to go to some of the documentaries, international films, shorts or midnight titles (or anything that isn't being shown at the Elgin or RTH, for that matter) would probably agree with me that the experience hasn't changed a whole lot over the past decade, at least.
The lineups are still long and the prices have definitely gone up, but lots of awesome movies don't sell out, and many lesser-known directors and actors are incredibly friendly, approachable, willing to linger after Q&As to talk to fans, etc. Plus, non-gala audiences are actually there because they're into these movies and not because they give a fuck about Kate Beckinsale, or whoever.
I can't help but feel like the people making the elitist argument are mostly interested in getting a cheap front row seat in a room with Brad Pitt, and not actually interested in experiencing the best that international cinema has to offer.
Well, Adam Schwabe was there for a show, I think. So was Sean G. Those jerk asses.
BTW, enjoyed listenin' to ya on cbc the other day. SAM to da EER says I.
Thanks Ryan. I blame Adam for my iPhone addiction as well.