An Ode to the Fangirl(s) Met Waiting in Line
Every September (until this year), I spent too much time attending the Toronto International Film Festival.
I’d volunteer in theatres and in the communications office; but I’d also dedicate hours committing the ungodly act of rushing film premieres. For those of you new to the concept of rushing, it’s the art of waiting in line for hours on end in the hopes getting into a screening for free or cheap admission. Yes, you could wait three hours and still not get into a screening (thankfully, that hasn’t happened to me- yet). It’s one of those things people are willing to do if — and only if — they’re true fans…and unable to afford expensive gala tickets.
After my first TIFF film screening in 2017, I knew watching a film with the actors and directors in the same room was a unique experience worth waiting for. My first TIFF screening was Battle of the Sexes with Steve Carell and Emma Stone, a film I thought at the time would get all the Oscars (spoiler alert: it got some Golden Globe nominations. That’s it). I went with the hopes of seeing my two favourite actors in person, but instead got to hear from the film’s two directors. While it was not who I expected, hearing about their creative process immediately after watching it unravel was illuminating, especially since I started my post-grad program in media production less than a month before. That moment, and every one following at TIFF motivated me to continue pursuing a career in the creative arts no matter what obstacles arose.
In various rush lines at the following two Festivals, I met fellow volunteers also looking to redeem their free vouchers, a movie critic who sold me their extra ticket to Jojo Rabbit and avid moviegoers sharing stories about meeting Shia LaBoeuf. I waited three hours in a rush line with my friend to see Timothee Chalamet in the flesh and, last year, waited in the middle of Yonge Street while my friend got us Sud Forno. As an introvert, I don’t usually like to engage in small talk, especially with strangers, and no one likes to stand for hours; but the TIFF rush lines I’ve waited in showed me the bright side of going outside of my comfort zone.
In 2020, TIFF looked different to say the least. I didn’t quite receive my annual reminder of creative excellence. During this year’s Festival, there were no volunteering opportunities whatsoever. All screenings were online, and I didn’t have the financial means to watch movies I’d still see in my living room months later through streaming services. There were drive-in screenings but I missed the boat for prime tickets. Ironically, this year would have been the year where the divine inspiration I get from TIFF would have really soothed me from having just been COVID-fired. Nonetheless, both the Festival and I did our best to function through September 2020.
Festivals like TIFF are comprised of thousands of people (so many volunteers alone)- not just major celebrities. Maybe that’s part of why this year’s TIFF hit different: the downtown core is typically a sea of bright orange, and this year it was practically a ghost town (even though it was the time where COVID cases were lowest). I hope my fellow volunteers and film enthusiasts are safe now, and ready to rush like never before in 2021.
