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Note From the CD The Film Fest Guide By Marci Liroff

TRUTH BE TOLD, I’M A CREA

ture of habit and a rabid homebody. Traveling to a place I know is no problem for me—I relish it. That said, I’ve always had a horrible sense of direction, so going somewhere I don’t know, alone, has always vexed me. Here’s a cautionary tale about travel and film fests.

I arrived at the Toronto Film Festival a few years ago and didn’t think to investigate whether my cellphone would work there. Stupid move No. 1. After I landed and tried to call to arrange my transportation, I got the alarming message that I would be billed for roaming charges and the pricing would not be friendly. I immediately called my phone company and changed my cellular package.

I then went for two whole days without my smartphone being even remotely smart. It wouldn’t connect to Wi-Fi, and I couldn’t retrieve my emails or use the GPS, which was not good for a directionally challenged person. I finally realized I had to add to my data plan so that I would get coverage. Dumb and dumber.

I went on a two-day diet from all social media and apps. In retrospect, it was a good thing, as it made me connect with people face-to-face in real time, old-school.

I stayed about 20 minutes outside of downtown, which turned out to be another giant mistake. Pro tip: Stay close to town so you can go from event to event, and come home if you need to in between meetings and screenings.

Check out the festival’s website and plan ahead with your film, meeting, and party schedule. TIFF is a very well-run festival, and there are many events to attend in addition to the amazing lineup. This was the one thing I did well, so I patted myself on the back for that. You should also

THE ESSENTIALISTS ROSEMARY BLIGHT producer

ROSEMARY BLIGHT

knew that the story of Helen Reddy deserved to be told. And when “I Am Woman,” a biopic about the singer-actor-activist’s life, was brought to her, the producer knew where it needed to premiere: the Toronto International Film Festival. Late last year, it did just that.

“I Am Woman” was made for Toronto.

“[TIFF] is a festival you know audiences just adore. They line up and they’re obsessed, and they chase directors down the road and they cheer. And ‘I Am Woman’ is that sort of film. It’s an audience film. We had timed our production so it would fit into the time frame for Toronto, but of course [the question is] getting into Toronto. I did all sorts of crazy things. I went up to Toronto and had a couple of meetings with the programmers and just introduced the film to them, and we spoke about the audience participation that the film could have.”

Find the festival that’s right for you.

“Make sure it’s a festival you feel can energize your film and give you what you need. Some festivals are just great for connecting with other filmmakers, and

By Casey Mink

that’s also really valuable. I use Withoutabox for festival entrance, which a lot of indie filmmakers use. Whether it’s Sundance or [non-A-list festivals], there are a lot of not-for-profit film websites with all the festivals on them, and you can look through testimonials from people who’ve been and what the experience was like.”

be flexible, because invariably the project that you want to see will be sold out.

As always, be nice and courteous to the staff and volunteers. They are your lifeline, and many of them are working for free.

Wi-Fi can be hard to find; I was kind of amazed that most of the theaters did not have it. I became a Wi-Fi ninja.

Take time to eat and hydrate. Some days, I saw three to four movies and didn’t have time to have a proper meal, which makes for a cranky filmgoer. The filmmakers shouldn’t have to suffer because you haven’t factored in getting the nutrition needed to keep yourself awake.

Even though you have a ticket, show up early (at least 30–45 minutes beforehand) and be prepared to stand in line. Some lines wrap around the block. You’ll likely have some very interesting conversations with your line buddies.

See everything, not just the potential blockbuster films. Take advantage of the opportunity to see some of the smaller indies and documentaries you wouldn’t normally see.

Most of the premiere screenings have Q&As afterward. Make sure to stay and take advantage of them. After seeing Christopher Guest’s “Mascots” in 2016, most of the crew was there to answer questions. It was, as you can imagine, a riot.

Take my advice, and you’ll be a superstar at your next film festival!

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