Toronto International Film Festival May Be Going Digital This Year

The threats posed by the novel coronavirus have forced many big cultural festivals to either postpone or cancel their events this year. The strict guidelines imposed by governments are urging people to stay inside their homes to prevent the spread of the disease. Due to the restrictions on mass gatherings, various cultural events like Cannes Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and Coachella have already been postponed.

Meanwhile, some organizations are still thinking of going ahead with their functions despite the restrictions. One of the most prestigious film events, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has made the decision to not postpone this year’s event despite the pandemic. Instead, the organizers are thinking of adding some “digital component” to the upcoming event.

In an interview with Variety, Joana Vicente, executive director and co-head of TIFF, revealed that the event will be a “hybrid festival” this year. She further stated that there is “definitely” going to be some sort of digital component.

“We are looking at a hybrid festival. How big that digital component is and what it looks like, we are still working on that,” Vicente said.

She further explained that postponing the event is not an option for them because they feel that things might get worse in October or November if there is a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Postponing is definitely not a possibility on the table right now. [Based on] everything that we are learning, things might get worse in October or November if there is a second wave,” Vicente said.

TIFF is one of the biggest film festivals in the world. Every year, many A-list Hollywood celebrities make their way to the red carpet to promote their upcoming movies. Last year, Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” won the People’s Choice Award for Best Film while Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” and Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite” were declared runners-up.

All three movies went on to receive numerous nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, with “Parasite” winning the Best Picture trophy.

The news of TIFF not postponing its event this year comes after the Venice Film Festival announced that its event will go ahead as planned. In an interview with the Italian news agency ANSA, Roberto Cicutto, president of the Venice Film Festival’s parent organization, Venice Biennale, revealed that he is not thinking of canceling the upcoming edition of the prestigious festival.

The 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival will commence on Sept. 2 and end on Sept. 12.