What to look out for at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival

Contributed image

The 46th Toronto International Film Festival has finally come. With over 200 films and people from all walks of life in attendance, TIFF is never something you want to miss.

This year may be perhaps more memorable than most, not only for the films that are being shown but also for the format that must be adhered to in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Let’s take a look at what we can expect from the festival this year.

TIFF will still be showing films in-person — one theater of note is the TIFF Bell Lightbox. It is the theater most commonly associated with TIFF and if you’ve gone to TIFF in- person, it is likely that you’ve sat in this theater at least one time or another.

In order to better comply with public health guidelines, TIFF has made digital viewings much more attractive as an alternative to the typical in-person experience.

Talks and Q&A sessions are included, along with all films being closed-captioned  — which will no doubt help appeal to a wider, more global audience.

TIFF has always been a melting pot of films from all over the world. Recognized as the largest public film festival in the world, it is crucial for the film industry (predominantly the indie film industry), that the festival stays intact.


As for notable films to look out for, Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho seems to be a departure from his previous body of work. Whereas before he was known for making stylized comedies (Like the films of the cornetto trilogy and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)), his most recent film appears to be much more horror-centric.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye also looks like it’ll be interesting. Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain star in this biographical tale about the creation of the world’s largest religious broadcasting network. In the trailer what caught my eye were the elaborate sets and costumes  — it’s a film that is certainly worth going out of your way to watch.

Then, of course, there is Dune. While the concept seems to be right up the alley of director Denis Villeneuve, some are still skeptical about how the film will turn out.

Perhaps because I wasn’t wowed by the trailer, perhaps I’m still recovering from watching David Lynch’s Dune (1984). I can acknowledge that the film certainly has some significant star power, and the critics seem to be impressed so far. I sincerely hope my instincts are mistaken.

All of this is a great reason to go buy a ticket to TIFF. It really is a global event in many ways and there are few experiences like it.

Regardless, if you are just getting into movies or if you’re already an expert, TIFF is a place for everyone to share that same love of film.

Leave a Reply