One more sleep!

Laundry done? Vitamin C supplements restocked? Lunches & dinners made & frozen? Or do you have the luxury of eating take-out for the next 10 days? Any way you slice it, TIFF is finally upon us! Here's to 10 sleepless days in the surreal world we call festival!

Obviously when we think TIFF it's about the movies, but I want to take a second to tip my hat to some of the other aspects that make TIFF such an enjoyable event for me - that being the people that I keep company with during these 10 days every year. Is this just a blatant excuse for me to post embarrassing photos of yester-year of my friends? Maybe so, but there's no denying - we got our moniker as "the friendly festival" for a reason!

This is my 11th year as both a TIFF-goer and volunteer, I've spent 10 of those years putting in my volunteer hours at the Elgin, needless to say much of the laughter and tears were had and shed there. As my long-time partner in crime (and fellow volunteer captain), Candy, often says to me, what keeps us coming back to the theatre is the people. I can't speak for any other venue, but our team of captains and is a tight-knit crew.

Hanging out with the Elgin captains of TIFF 2005

This was Yonge Street outside the Elgin the night Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, etc. came to attend the screening of The Asassination of Jesse James. (Sorry for the blur, phone cameras were not nearly as advanced 2 years ago lol)

The team of captains - Melanie, me, Michael, and Candy - bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on the day after Brangelina & co. invaded the Elgin at TIFF 2007 haha

Some of our spectacular volunteers - still cheerful at the end of a long shift during TIFF 08

Some of the Elgin/WG captains & staffers on our way to rob a bank after shift at TIFF 08

When I'm not at the Elgin, the usual plan to see movies non-stop. I saw ONE film during my first year at TIFF in 1999, but have adequately redeemed myself by averaging about 25 films per festival in the last few years. This isn't an easy feat, fitting in 20-something films, especially when you're also working and volunteering at the same time. There are many opportunities to see a sold-out show by getting into the "Rush" lines at TIFF, but this can be a time-consuming practice to say the least. This is where the friends come in. A network comprised of close friends, people that I see once a year at TIFF, and those that fall somewhere in between. Together we cover each other off in rush lines, save seats for the group, do recon, act as placeholders, food deliver-ers, and even pillows for one another when you've over-taxed yourself and simply can't stay awake in the theatre.

 

Armed with caffeine and waiting in the rush line during TIFF 2005

We used to enjoy many a gala screening at Roy Thompson Hall - a couple friends and I waiting to go in during TIFF 06

Here we have a group of Asians ... waiting it out again at Roy Thompson Hall for a Woody Allen film at TIFF 07

All smiles before Sheitan at TIFF 06 - last screening

Pic 1 of the over-enthused crew at the A L'Interieur screening - the final Midnight Madness film of TIFF 07

Pic 2 of the crew waiting for A L'Interieur to start

Though never on shift and never to be taken for granted, we've also had some chances to see & meet some talent and filmmakers over the years.

Director Wilson Yip, our own Colin Geddess, Sammo Hung, and Wu Jing at the Midnight Madness screening of SPL

J and I got some prime seats for the Across the Universe Gala with a clear view of the cast including Evan Rachel Wood on the left.

The directors of A L'Interieur were happy to hear how massively disturbed we were by their film.

Darrin getting an autograph from Anthony Wong when he came to Toronto during TIFF 08

Showing Prachya Pinkaew, director of Ong Bak and Chocolate our moves after the midnight screening of the latter in TIFF 08

And with that we're off to the races!  Happy TIFF-ing everyone!