Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) – 2019 (#289)

It’s September the 5th, 2019, and the weather is wonderful, a balmy 20 degrees, with the sun shining and the slightest hint of coming fall in the air. Looking out the window and directly below, overlooking the area of King St. and Simcoe St., Toronto is abuzz with the start of its 44th International Annual Film Festival, known as TIFF.

Having been founded in 1976, TIFF is today considered the most significant film festival in the World, along with, or second only to (for certain purists) Cannes.

This year 333 films are going to be screened at the festival, and almost half-a-Million people (480,000) are expected to attend. The celebrity list of those attending is long and impressive, with the greatest film industry stars in attendance (Meryl Streep is set to receive the inaugural TIFF Tribute Actor Award at the festival, and thus heads the list of brightest stars in the film industry firmament that will be attending).

While the actual number of film stars attending is very long and growing - what with the very busy schedules of celebrities - some of the equally notable names are:

Tom Hanks,

Scarlett Johansson,

Russell Crowe,

Daniel Craig,

Chris Evans,

Jamie Foxx, Michael B. Jordan

Jamie Lee Curtis,

Nicole Kidman,

Anthony Hopkins,

Jennifer Lopez,

Joaquin Phoenix,

Renee Zellweger,

...and too many others to list here. The full list of Hollywood and International film stars is impressive.

Along with the industry people, thousands of local and international media personnel from the most prominent publications, to the lesser known thousands of private and internet personalities that cover such events, to the biggest cable and TV networks, to film and fashion commentators - all descend on the city of Toronto.

Apart from the films being screened and the Stars, Directors, Producers and Industry Titans, and Professionals in attendance, TIFF also organizes hundreds of parties, conferences, awards, media interviews and workshops.

All of this immense undertaking is organized by the TIFF professionals and thousands of volunteers that enthusiastically pitch in every year, for the duration of the festival, to make it a consistent and growing success.

We wish all in attendance very good luck and welcome to the Toronto International Film Festival. #TIFF