The Festival international du film de Toronto will take place this year despite the pandemic of COVID-19, but it will be different from other editions. In the photo, the editing of 2017.
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June 24, 2020 18h25
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The Festival international du film de Toronto en mode COVID-19
Victoria Ahearn
The Canadian Press
TORONTO — red Carpet and virtual programming lean: the rise of the curtain of the international film Festival of Toronto will still take place this year, but in the logistical and financial constraints imposed by the pandemic.
The organizers of this grand rendez-vous du cinéma expressed Wednesday their intentions to take a hybrid formula of the festival, which would be based on the presence of both physical and digital participants.
The day before, the organization of the TIFF had announced to have suffered the economic impact of the crisis of the COVID-19, reducing wages and making the foot 31 employees who held full-time positions.
The 45th edition of the festival, torontonians should take place from 10 to 19 September – ending a day earlier than planned, with a programme of 50 feature length films, five short film programs and a virtual conference in the industry.
Screenings will be offered in-person and online, as well as external experiences, press conferences and question & answer sessions with actors and filmmakers.
The TIFF has not made its representatives available for interviews on Wednesday and has not provided further details on how will take place these events.
But given the direction health effect, in addition to the restrictions on gatherings and travel, it is clear that the city of Toronto does grouillera no stars and film buffs, in the extravagance usually associated with the festival.
Movies include Bruised, the first film signed by Halle Berry; Ammonite of Francis Lee, with Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan; and Concrete Cowboy Ricky Staub, with Idris Elba, Jharrel Jerome and Lorraine Toussaint.
The films announced are to be presented during the first five days of the festival, at screenings, in-person, in compliance with the directives of distancing physics and other protocols established by the health authorities to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.
The cinema of the Queen City who had to close their doors in the course of the pandemic, including the TIFF Bell Lightbox, have not yet resumed their activities, but they should do so when the provincial and municipal authorities give their green light.
The TIFF said that he hoped that the festival will give a signal of hope “in Toronto, filmmakers and the international industry of the cinema”.
