Roll Credits: A Guide to Travel for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

Festival dates

TIFF takes place every September, making it a key launchpad for the fall movie season and Academy Award hopefuls, beginning the Thursday of Labor Day week (U.S. holiday). The festival runs for 11 packed days and ends on the following Sunday. The first weekend of the festival (Thursday through Sunday) is when TIFF is at its peak—peak crowds and peak celebs—who both come for the most high-profile world premieres. During the weekdays, Monday through Friday, the crowds settle down a bit, but there are still plenty of world premieres and filmmaker Q&As to catch. The last weekend of TIFF is an opportunity to view encore screenings of many of the films, including audience favorites. Though talent sometimes sticks around, most are already likely back home or on a film set as the festival winds down.

Snagging tickets

With some careful planning, calendar reminders, and acceptance that you must use Ticketmaster, getting tickets to the films you want to see is doable. TIFF prioritizes members, so if you want the best shot at films, join as a member in Q1 so that you start to get all the e-blasts and updates. There are two ways to get tickets—purchase a pass or buy them individually. Passes typically go on sale in June and individual tickets in August. Members usually get access to both options a week ahead of the public. If you can’t manage to snag a ticket to the film you had your sights on, there is always the last-minute rush line—if you line up early enough you can usually get a seat, plus standing in at least one rush line is a fun festival experience everyone should have.

Film selection

With hundreds of films in the festival, you’re going to have to narrow down which films you’ll see in some sort of organized selection process. TIFF tries to help by organizing the films into sections, from gala presentations to documentaries to contemporary world cinema and many more. The TIFF website will let you search with filters—day of the week, venue, and section. You could spend hours making your picks, so it’s best to set your film selection strategy in advance and read some of the great “must-see articles” that start popping up as the festival opening approaches. It’s realistic to see three, maybe four films in a day with tickets, but for each film plan to line up at least 30–45 minutes before. If you don’t call yourself a cinephile, ask your favorite one for help (or a former film curator turned travel advisor.)

Venues

The main venues for TIFF are mostly walkable to each other, with King Street being the central connector. Over the first weekend, King Street closes to cars as it becomes “Festival Street.” There are pop-ups and free giveaways to be had if you are okay waiting in more lines. The venues run the gamut from year-round cinemas to theatres to opera halls. Each one has its unique pros and cons, so when planning the schedule, it’s worth a little attention to the venue.

Celebrity sightings

Part of the appeal of TIFF is that so much talent gathers in Toronto. Yes, all the actors and directors that are attached to the films come and attend premieres (and parties). Many also participate in conversations and panels hosted by the festival. Documentaries are a great source of sightings, often the subject matter(s) arrive in town for their film. And Toronto has its own film and television productions, so you could be sitting in front of someone you recognize from the big or small screen who is just a film fan like you. The key to sightings outside of a scheduled appearance is to sit outside at restaurants, keep your head up when walking, and if you see a caravan of black SUVs pull up at a theater back door, take a beat to see who they are picking up or dropping off.

Canteen

If you want to be in the center of it all and feel like you are taking a Hollywood lunch meeting, Canteen, the restaurant in the TIFF Lightbox, is the place to be. Often industry members will have lunch meetings or post-film debriefs, so film talk fills the air. Salads and sandwiches are the go-to here.

Byblos

You’ll need to make a reservation at Byblos for a stellar Middle Eastern-inspired meal in an energetic setting. It’s hard to go wrong with anything that has wildflower honey, sumac, or za’atar attached. Numerous menu options for vegetarians.

Kiin

In Thai, Kiin means “to eat,” so a full day of films should increase your appetite for Chef Nuit’s warm Thai menu. It’s a small and cozy atmosphere. Reservations are a must. If time allows, choose the tasting menu. If not, à la carte works too. And pair anything with a fresh and fruity or tempered cocktail.

Swatow

Toronto’s Chinatown is a short hop over from films at Scotiabank, and Swatow is one of the best all-around, no-frills options for a meal. It’s been around for over four decades, so they must be doing something right. Try the shrimp wonton soup.

Campechano Adelaide

Occasionally, it’s nice to get away from the festival scene, and Campechano Adelaide is worth the longer walk. It’s a recent Michelin Bib Gourmand selection for delicious tacos. Order a variety and sit outside if you can.

Pai

Pai is Northern Thai street food at its best and is convenient to the Princess of Wales Theatre. It’s run by the same team from Kiin, but a bit more laid back. Order something fried and something curried.

Canoe

Located on the 54th floor of the TD Tower, Canoe is more than just an amazing view of the skyline and CN Tower. You can go for a fancy and world-class meal, or you can just go for an equally divine cocktail on your last night in Toronto. If you’re able to time your visit for sundown, even better. Take out your phone for some great souvenir photos.