I had my first film festival experience in September when I traveled to Toronto to attend TIFF and I am definitely a fan.
There is nothing like being surrounded by people who love the same thing you do. I experienced this high every time I took part in Book Expo America and it turns out movie festivals are no different. There is an electric buzz in the air from the moment you arrive and it is palpable.
There is something magical about going to the cinema. The smell of popcorn that fills the air as you enter. The thrill of the unknown as the movie lights dim and the possibilities are endless. The tantalizing feeling that you might just be about to experience your next favourite movie. Movies have the ability to transport us and I can think of no greater magic.
The pandemic forced many cinemas to close and the communal experience of watching a movie together was something we were not able to do. Connecting with others is part of what it means to be human as is storytelling and this combines both. Ever see a horror movie and have everyone react to a jump scare followed by a relieved little chuckle or be moved to tears by a movie only to realize you are not the only one? It is its own kind of serotonin.
I may have been rediscovering my love of not just movies but the cinema experience in general but I also got to see some pretty amazing movies.
I was absolutely charmed by Stephen Spielberg's The Fabelmans. A fable about a family told by one of the master storytellers. This is obviously the story of Spielberg's childhood and is filled with great performances and a memorable final few frames.
Jeremy Pope wowed me with his incredible performance in The Inspection. It left me excited to see whatever he might do next.
Women Talking made me walk around Toronto in the golden sunshine of the afternoon thinking about the movie I had just seen. I was so impressed with Ben Whishaw's performance and left in awe of this female ensemble. It is a thought provoking movie that leaves you wanting to start some conversations of you own.
Another highlight was getting to listen to Damien Chazelle discuss his career and his thoughts on his previous films. Part of the appeal of TIFF is getting to hear the directors and actors discuss what goes in to creative process and that is something that can only make you love movies more.
Those are just a small number of the movies I got to see and I left Toronto in a satisfied movies induced stupor and with my heart very, very full. I also got to experience so many other incredible things while there but nothing quite compares to the feeling of the lights dimming as the movie starts to play.
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