For many filmmakers, a festival is often a crucial first step in the birth of a project or career.

ItB次元官网网址檚 where they feel the first collective response to their projects, have dialogue on stages and red carpets, and shmooz with potential buyers, partners and distributors.

ItB次元官网网址檚 also where critical reviews and word of mouth can help build buzz on the journey to other festivals, a wider release, and maybe even awards.

With COVID-19 rattling the entire circuit, resulting in a trimmed Toronto International Film Festival slate thatB次元官网网址檚 mostly online, the industry is looking for new ways to build momentum.

While thereB次元官网网址檚 no replacing the in-person experience, and the film industry is grappling with weak box offices both in cinemas and online, TIFF and talent are banking on virtual offerings and a smattering of indoor/outdoor screenings to recreate a semblance of a traditional festival rollout.

B次元官网网址淎t first I was like, B次元官网网址極h, what a crappy time to be premiering films,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� says Toronto-based director Michelle Latimer, who will be debuting two projects at TIFF: the documentary B次元官网网址淚nconvenient IndianB次元官网网址� and the series B次元官网网址淭rickster.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淏ut then when I found out what TIFF was doing, I thought, B次元官网网址楾his is really smart.B次元官网网址� And I feel excited that the films are going to reach an audience in a different way.B次元官网网址�

TIFFB次元官网网址檚 45th edition runs Sept. 10-19 with a mix of digital and socially distanced physical screenings. The Venice festival running now through Sept. 12 is all in-person. Later this month, the New York and Vancouver film festivals will show films both online and in-person, while the FIN Atlantic International Film Festival will be online.

Festivals slated for earlier in the pandemic when lockdown was strict B次元官网网址� Cannes, Tribeca, Telluride, SXSW B次元官网网址� had to be either cancelled or shifted partially online. But many still announced their lineups, and Cannes held a virtual market for filmmakers to conduct business. TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Hot Docs festival went all online.

Screening films online or to a limited audience is better than bypassing the festival circuit entirely, says Laurie May, co-president of Canadian film distribution company Elevation Pictures, which has the star-studded B次元官网网址淎mmonite,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淭he FatherB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淚 Care a LotB次元官网网址� at TIFF.

B次元官网网址淥therwise those films would just get orphaned, and people have been working on them for years,B次元官网网址� May says.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 making the best of a bad situation and trying to keep everything moving forward,B次元官网网址� she adds. B次元官网网址滱nd I donB次元官网网址檛 think this is the new world order. I think this is accommodating a difficult time and hoping to get back to normal.B次元官网网址�

TIFF will screen films for the public across Canada on its online platform, Bell Digital Cinema, as well as at its downtown TIFF Bell Lightbox headquarters, two drive-ins and an open-air cinema.

As with a regular festival, all screenings have a limit on the number of tickets sold. Online films will be available to watch on different days, with a 24-hour viewing time limit.

COVID-19 safety protocols only allow up to 50 guests per indoor cinema, and patrons must wear masks unless seated in the theatre.

Those in the industry say containing the online audience will help films avoid early overexposure and issues including territorial rights before moving on to other festivals and wider release.

B次元官网网址淵ou want to play other festivals, you donB次元官网网址檛 want to cannibalize your audience,B次元官网网址� says Latimer. B次元官网网址漎ouB次元官网网址檙e going to have maybe a theatrical release, so weB次元官网网址檙e always strategizing so that we can optimize all of those screenings and premieres.B次元官网网址�

At the same time, geoblocking to all of Canada widens the TIFF audience beyond Toronto.

B次元官网网址淚t enables people that were never able to come to TIFF to see and connect with us, so itB次元官网网址檚 a new democratic way to reach out to the public,B次元官网网址� says Anne-Claire Lefaivre, director of marketing and audience development at the National Film Board of Canada, which co-produced B次元官网网址淚nconvenient Indian.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to be able to do publicity and media buys to make people connect to the film outside Toronto, people in remote communities far away that can connect to the festival. So I think thatB次元官网网址檚 one of the greatest changes that the online editions have.B次元官网网址�

With a smaller slate of approximately 50 titles, it may also be easier to stand out this year, says Latimer.

B次元官网网址淓specially for a documentary, it would be very easy to get lost in the flourish of TIFF. But with only (about) 50 features, I feel that documentaries will have a special place there, unlike any other year.B次元官网网址�

But a lot of this is new territory and the industry is at a crossroads, wondering what type of release works best right now, says Lefaivre. While it seems B次元官网网址減eople are really hesitant going back in theatre,B次元官网网址� she also wonders whether patrons are willing to pay as much for an online film as they would in-theatre.

The NFB recently had two B次元官网网址渧irtual cinemaB次元官网网址� releases in collaboration with some indie Canadian cinemas, and the box office B次元官网网址漴esults werenB次元官网网址檛 that spectacular,B次元官网网址� Lefaivre says.

B次元官网网址淥ur box offices were like 10 per cent, 15 per cent of what weB次元官网网址檇 normally do in theatres.B次元官网网址�

SheB次元官网网址檚 happy TIFF is trying both in-person and online offerings, noting: B次元官网网址滻tB次元官网网址檚 hard to have word of mouth when youB次元官网网址檙e watching a film online.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 also hard to build the same level of excitement and fanfare thatB次元官网网址檚 usually generated by splashy parties and galas.

For the most part, film talent wonB次元官网网址檛 physically be at TIFF due to border restrictions. But many will be online in cast reunions, interactive talks, and Q-and-AB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址� some of which will be available globally for free.

TIFF also has a slew of celebrity ambassadors this year, who will interact with audiences and industry delegates digitally. Many film talent have also recorded intros to their films.

British Columbia-based directors Joel Bakan and Jennifer Abbott, who will debut B次元官网网址淭he New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary SequelB次元官网网址� at TIFF, recorded their film intros in their living rooms. It was low-production value and their tripods kept falling down, they say with a laugh, but they feel TIFF B次元官网网址渉as done an amazing job at balancing the concern for safety and health.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淔rom what IB次元官网网址檝e seen in terms of their planning, theyB次元官网网址檝e provided a model for how a film festival can take place in these times,B次元官网网址� says Bakan.

Latimer plans to do press by phone and zoom during TIFF, and attend in-person screenings for her projects at the Lightbox. The NFB hopes to livestream Q-and-AB次元官网网址檚 with Latimer from the Lightbox and elsewhere.

Stars will also be seen in the pre-recorded TIFF Tribute Awards, which will air Sept. 15 on CTV and stream through Variety. Honorees include B次元官网网址淎mmoniteB次元官网网址� star Kate Winslet and B次元官网网址淭he FatherB次元官网网址� star Anthony Hopkins.

And while in-person jams are a no-go, TIFF-goers can whoop it up in their living rooms with a party through the Planet Africa 25 program, featuring a DJ-ed livestream from a secret location.

TIFF will also have an online industry conference from Sept. 10-14, so international delegates will still be able to conduct business.

International journalists will also be participating in the festival on its online platform.

May says she participated in the Cannes Film FestivalB次元官网网址檚 virtual market in June B次元官网网址� the first major virtual market since the pandemic started B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址漚nd it was a very good business.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 met all the same suppliers, and bought a couple of films and watched a couple of films,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址漌ould I say I want to do that every year and skip the cost of flying to Cannes? Absolutely not. Because you lose the face-to-face. You lose the talking to other filmmakers. This is a creative industry. You canB次元官网网址檛 do it sitting at your home Zooming.B次元官网网址�

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press

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