Canadian, Eh?

TIFF comes to Toronto: How to get last-minute tickets to the film fest

VAWN HIMMELSBACH, Chic Savvy Travels

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — for movie-lovers, anyway. The 11-day Toronto International Film Festival has descended upon our city once again, bringing with it celebrity sightings, red-carpet galas and the inevitable Oscar contender buzz.

I’m one of those people who buy a package of tickets in advance, spend hours pouring over all the movie selections and wait hours in line-ups in the hope I’ll get at least a few of my top picks. And I’m willing to stand in rush lines — rain or shine (snow, sleet or hail) — for the chance to see a sold-out screening.

Photo Credit: iStock

Even if that sounds like way too much effort to see a film (which it is for most people I know), it doesn’t mean TIFF tickets are out of reach. You can still get last-minute tickets, even if a film is technically “off sale.” Here’s how:

You can still order tickets online (tiff.net), over the phone (888-599-8433) or at the festival box office (225 King St. West). Tickets cost $19.69, or $38.27 for premium screenings. An official program book costs $36.16, or you peruse your options online.

If you’re just plain overwhelmed by the selection of films (there are more than 300 from 60 countries), sign up for daily TIFF alerts with Cameron’s picks (as in Cameron Bailey, TIFF’s co-director), where he recommends five films that still have tickets available for purchase on that particular day. Or, download the Daily Discovery Facebook App, which has personalized recommendations of films.

But say there’s a film you’re just dying to see (or perhaps it’s Ryan Gosling or Ewan McGregor you’re really dying to see), you still have a chance to get tickets. Even if a film is off sale, it’s possible that a block of tickets will be released at 7 a.m. on the day of the screening (obviously, the earlier you check, the better).

And, failing that, try the rush line outside the theatre — basically, if there are any empty seats in the theatre right before the screening, those seats will be given to people in the rush line. I’ve had pretty good luck with rush lines — but even when I didn’t get in, I had a great time chatting with complete strangers in the lineup and getting the scoop on other must-see films at the festival (and once I got free pizza).

I often pick films in the “contemporary world cinema” category, or in the “city to city” category (this year’s city is Buenos Aires) — a treat for the arm-chair traveler, or perhaps even inspiration for a future trip (for me, last year’s Even the Rain inspired me to start planning a trip to Bolivia).

So, until I’m back on an airplane, I’ll let TIFF take me around the world.

Date Added: September 9, 2011 | Comments (0)