It seems 2022 will be the year we see the festival circuit get back in full swing. After a rather quiet 2021, the Toronto Film Festival is back with a bang. Blake & Wang P.A entertainment lawyer, Brandon Blake, unpacks what we know so far.
King Street Closure
Unlike the quiet and underwhelming 2021 action, the Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF as it is affectionately called, will see full-capacity (and unmasked) theaters, no need for vaccination proof, and a return of the orange shirted volunteers and concession stands familiar from previous years. Additionally, press conferences are going back to the live format, and the typical celebratory closure of King Street will take place.
The slate this year will offer 260 curated feature films, 18 galas, and 45 special presentation showings.
A Critical Stepping Stone
As we step from the summer family-friendly glut of films at the box office into the awkward corridor between fall and the holiday season, a TIFF launch is a critical stepping stone for more adult-focused content and that hoping to hit the awards season buzz. With older moviegoers still a lagging demographic in the box office, its needed this year more than ever. TIFF has been a ‘breakout’ location for many films hoping to cross over to a wider audience base- just look at Hustlers in 2019.
For those looking for a wider return to movie going, that builds on the exponentially successful summer slate we’ve seen, becoming a Toronto breakout could be the magic they need. Especially if we are to prove the naysayers wrong about the space for ‘non-blockbuster’ movies in theatrical releases currently.
9 World premieres are already announced for the Toronto International Film Festival, including The Woman King, Glass Onions: A Knives Out mystery, Bros, On the Come Up, Brother, My Policeman, The Fabelmans, and Catherine Called Birdy. But there’s a lot more to enjoy, too. A Jazzman’s Blues, Banshees of Inisherin, and Empire of Light are already generating significant buzz, while eyes are also on The Whale for Brandon Fraser’s remarkable self-transformation. The Sidney Poitier documentary, Sidney, is also a much-anticipated title.
For all films hoping to compete for the coveted Grolsch People’s Choice Award, widely seen as a must for Oscar contenders, screening rules have changed back to in-person showings only. While a limited number of at-home viewings will still take place, the emphasis this year is on the in-person vibe, and the bulk of the festival will once again take place in-person and in-theater. Red carpets, it seems, are back in vogue. The TIFF has long been an audience-focused festival, so this is hardly surprising- but very encouraging for the wider state of the market and the festival circuit in general, of course.
This year’s Toronto Film Festival is back, promising to be bigger and better than ever. With the Northern borders now open, we expect to see a considerable Hollywood presence on-scene, too. 2019’s attendance figures were over 307,000, and they’re hoping to at least match, if not beat, those figures this year. Let’s hope they do.