If the documentary has a dynamic (and preferably famous) character and is most suitable for a theatrical release, then the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is the most lucrative venue for its (first) screening. An essential platform for documentaries that hope or aim for a theatrical release, the TIFF is considered as one of the four major film festivals (the other three being Cannes, Sundance and Berlin). This alone awards the festival a well acknowledged prestige and a ‘must-see’ or ‘want-to-see’ value.
A publicly attended festival, TIFF is that is held every September in the city of Toronto, Canada. It commences on the Thursday night that follows Labor Day in Canada, which is 1st Monday of September. TIFF lasts 11 days, albeit the celebration of the closing night takes place on the 10th evening. More than 300 films from 30+ countries are screened at venues in downtown Toronto which hosts around 37 screens. The festival is now headquartered at the the TIFF Bell Lightbox (building) that was opened on September 12, 2010.
The 300+ films are divided in various ‘programmes’ according to the section of titles to guide the audience in exploring and choosing the titles according to their likings. The programmmes are,
- Canada First – films from first-time Canadian directors
- Canadian Open Vault – presents recently restored, iconic Canadian films
- City to City – an urban experience of a city through ‘city spoltlight’
- Contemporary World Cinema – some of the best films from over the world
- Discovery – showcases innovative new filmmakers
- Future Projections – focuses on visual arts from the city
- Galas Presentations – premiers and red carpet events
- Masters – showcases films of most influential directors alive
- Mavericks – dialogues with the important personalities of cinema
- Midnight Madness – features thrillers, chillers and all the other outlandish projects
- Real to Reel – the best documentaries of the year
- Short Cuts Canada – documentaries, animations, short film from Canadian filmmakers
- Special Presentations – showcases crowd-pleasers where the directors are often present.
- Sprockets Family Zone – entertainers with invigorating and affecting story-lines
- TIFF For Free – free public screening of programming gems from prior festivals
- Vanguard – fresh provocative stories that defy convention.
- Visions – showcases poetic films with innovative approach
- Wavelengths – features vibrant and aesthetically stunning works of video artists
The festival does not have a jury and is non-competitive; hence, the regular awards such as ‘Best Actor/Actress’ or ‘Best Director’ do not exist at this film festival. There are however a few major prizes which consider the vote of the festival going people.
- The People’s Choice Award is awarded to a feature length film
- People’s Choice Best Documentary
- People’s Choice Best Midnight Madness film
- Best Canadian Feature
- Best Canadian First Feature
- Best Canadian Short Film
- FIPRESCI’s Special Presentation Winner
- FIPRESCI’s Discovery Section Winner
Founded at the Windsor Arms Hotel in 1976 the TIFF was originally known as ‘The Festival of Festivals’. What began as a selection and viewing of best movies/films from major international film festivals has turned into a mega event that many studios consider as a launch pad for initiating that ‘Oscar-buzz’. Over the years movies such as Slumdog Millionaire, American Beauty, Ray were premiered at the TIFF and went on to win various accolades at the Academy Awards.