Most of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is being held online due to the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. There are in-person screenings at a few temporary drive-ins in downtown Toronto and at the indoor theatres in the TIFF building.
I spent one day at the film festival yesterday and that was, according to TIFF, one day too many. No photographers or TV are allowed this year. Reporters are also not allowed at any location.
Opening Night with No Openings
If your organization or business was facing its worst year due to the pandemic, would you want free publicity to help mitigate the situation? If your event was open to the public, was funded by all three levels of government and was held at some government-owned properties, would you feel somewhat obligated to allow news coverage?
Not the Toronto Film Festival.
Photographers have, in the past, tried to push the film festival to be more visually aware. TIFF did listen to some suggestions and it installed red carpets, covered most of the steel barricades, added a few lights and improved photo pits.
But another suggestion was to have some events in front of a recognizable landmark such as the city skyline. Currently the only “Toronto” at the film festival is in the name. Beyond the name, there’s nothing that says “Toronto.” Many other film festivals have intentionally developed signature looks.
Yesterday’s opening-night film was premiered at a drive-in which, as luck would have it, is located right in front of the Toronto skyline.
Imagine the photo: it’s a late summer dusk, the sky is sapphire blue, cars are parked in front of a glowing movie screen and Toronto’s skyscrapers are sparkling in the background.
You have to imagine this picture because TIFF refused to let anyone photograph it.
On opening night of this first-of-its-kind, major film festival, TIFF refused any media from attending. No photographers, no TV, no reporters. Why?
MEDIA BAN
Other organizations and businesses have used this same drive-in for their events over the past four months. They allowed reporters and photographers onsite without any problems. Some of these organizations and businesses even asked media to attend. These events received lots of favourable news coverage because they were good news in a pandemic world.
Even an art gallery that set up an indoor drive-in allowed photographers and reporters.
Not allowing news media was not due to social distancing because the drive-in had lots of space and the media needed access only at the back or along the perimeter. Just to point out, TIFF’s own people weren’t following any social distancing.
There was not one but two rows of blacked-out fencing around the drive-in so it was impossible to photograph from a distance. Photographers standing on the sidewalk across the street were told by TIFF that it was a private event and no photography was allowed even from across the street.
A TIFF person at the entrance to the street told me it was his decision to deny all media. “I don’t care [what news outlet you’re with], we don’t want any media.” When I asked why, he just walked away.
WASTED OPPORTUNITY
The film festival is 45 years old and one might think that, by now, it would understand what the news media do, what public relations are and what its obligations are to the public.
TIFF had a wonderful opportunity to show the world that the film festival was still happening, that TIFF was helping people get on with their lives, and to provide a glimmer of optimism in a pandemic-weary world. Instead TIFF chose to say nothing.
Last night was opening night of the second largest film festival in the world and the world premiere of a new movie. TIFF did nothing special. Yawn.
Believe it or not, newspapers around the world want good news especially now during the ongoing pandemic and other international problems. I shoot for a wire service. There were thousands (no exaggeration) of publications around the world waiting for pictures.
CHANGE IS NEEDED
The Toronto Film Festival wasn’t always like this. I’ve covered TIFF for 31 of its 45 years. During the mid 80s to early 90s, it was accessible, media-friendly and fan-friendly.
But in the early to mid 90s there was a management change that seemingly shifted its corporate culture and the festival itself. By the year 2000, TIFF had transformed from an open, fun-for-all film festival to a politically correct, buttoned-down, micro-managed event where staff are either afraid or not allowed to make decisions on their own. The festival’s motivation seems to be more about servicing corporate sponsors.
A TIFF management change at the end of 2019 gave a faint hope that things might change. Maybe it’s too soon but, so far, it’s the same. Perhaps the problems are systemic.
Added September 12: The Globe and Mail published a few photos of opening night at this drive-in. The pictures were shot by a Toronto entertainment photographer who usually covers the film festival for Invision, the entertainment division of the Associated Press, which has a long-standing arrangement with TIFF. The Globe’s photos include two pictures taken inside the TIFF building including one of its theatres. Non-TIFF photographers are not allowed to shoot inside the building. (Of course, people with cellphones can shoot anywhere they want.)
The one event-defining photo, showing the full city skyline behind the drive-in, is not here.
Added September 14: TIFF holds a reception/dinner during the annual film festival to raise money for itself. It gives out awards to attract celebrity attendance and corporate sponsors. This year, because of the pandemic, the fundraiser will be held online and will be broadcast on television. TIFF put out a press release today and, in bold text, told people not to record the show. That pretty much sums up the Toronto Film Festival.
Correct, Warren. I too have voiced my thoughts and opinions about this to TIFF over the last few weeks.
I’ve photographed TIFF for a third of the time you have. I’ve been a journalist, attendee and film lover for double that. I’ve watched year after year as accredited photographers are treated with more disrespect than the year before. TIFF demonstrates near-disdain for us. I don’t understand it. I don’t accept it.
We have a job to do. Our experience, our professional acumen and our dedication to producing the very images used to promote the festival should be far more valuable to the institution that TIFF has become. There are few who work harder than photographers during TIFF.
It’s a great loss that that this year’s festival is shuttered to us–during a historical global crisis–when documenting the festival, such as it is, is arguably more important than ever.
Thank you for this post.