TIFF 2021: The Precedent of Ontario During COVID-19

Written by Andreas Babiolakis


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Typically, Films Fatale goes into great coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival whenever it’s that time of year. You may have noticed that I’ve been a little quiet on that front. 1) I am too burned out between the writing of other articles, the rest of the decades lists that are coming, and the television research I am still smack dab in the middle of. 2) I’m balancing too many gigs (including actually working at TIFF [!]). I promise a return to the regular TIFF celebrations next year. However, I still want to at least discuss TIFF in any capacity, especially from the very little I have seen already. Like last year, the world is in disarray due to the pandemic that has plagued all of us. TIFF was much different in 2020, with only around ten percent of the allowed in-theatre guests participating (then there were the innovations of having digital screenings and drive-in releases). So, what does TIFF 2021 look like?

A little better. Now, venues are allowing up to fifty percent of each theatre’s seats to be filled. More venues have opened up, but there are still the inclusions of drive-in showtimes and digital screenings online. The borders have opened up, so more people — including casts and crew members of premiering films — are allowed to show up (which means more red carpets and press junkets). We’re still nowhere near the hysteria and magic of TIFF at its usual form, but we are at least getting closer to those days again. Hopefully by 2022, that’s exactly where we will be with TIFF (and every other film festival, actually).

On the note of film festivals in general, TIFF is kind of setting a standard for both these events and for Ontario in general. As of September 22nd, Ontario will be requiring the proof of vaccination for many different kinds of venues. Before that legislation kicks off, TIFF has been a guinea pig of sorts by requesting that all staff members and patrons show proof of either double vaccination, or of a negative COVID test within the last 48 hours. Perhaps this is how we’re able to do a little more at this year’s TIFF, and I’m game for whatever it takes to getting us back to a more normal reality. So far, after a couple of days of firsthand exposure (whilst working at TIFF), the results have looked quite great. The majority of patrons have cooperated, resulting in the festival continuing on as normally as possible, and instilling a bit of faith.

Furthermore, seeing how other locations have dealt with the proof of vaccinations has me a little perplexed with why it took so long for Ontario to implement the idea of vaccination passports. Seeing the fancy forms of documents from European countries, the QR codes of Quebec and Manitoba (amongst other provinces), and noticing all of the other up-to-date paperwork or digital applications has me a bit flabbergasted with how most Ontario natives have been resorting to just holding onto the little receipts they’ve received when getting their vaccines (although a number of Torontonians had some sort of little cards with stamps of their vaccination dates). Either way, this is going to be the norm across the province, and this includes how other theatre events or chains are operated as well.

With the Delta variant rearing its hideous head at us ever so slowly (waiting to strike with a lighting fast spread), we’re not out of this mess just yet. Luckily, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, at least when it comes to being a cinephile that wishes to see films on the big screen again. At TIFF 2021, the red carpet I’ve been eager to see the most doesn’t contain any particular celebrities or filmmakers. Rather, it’s the communal red carpet that any guest can walk across. There’s life in a music theatre again. That brings me so much joy.

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Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.