My Experience as a Volunteer at TIFF ‘23: (Part I)
TIFF 2023 was the first international film festival I'd ever attended. Check out my post for a sneak peek into the life of a TIFF volunteer and a cinema lover.
September 17, 2023. It’s past 9 pm, and as I walk away from the lights, dreams, visions, and the passionate crowd of TIFF ‘23 for the last time, my soul is satiated like never before in my one year in Toronto.
On a quaint spring evening in May, a friend told me over dinner that TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) was accepting volunteer applications. A skeptic at first, I had casually filed my resume and answered the application questionnaire honestly but without much introspection.
Fast-forward to a pleasant Friday evening in July, and the acceptance email from TIFF popped into my inbox.
That was the start of something truly beautiful.
A Snippet into Life as a TIFF Volunteer
Everything about volunteering at TIFF is crisp and simple. Right during the orientation, you’ll receive a volunteer manual (also available on their volunteer portal) that lists everything from available roles to dress code to how to reserve/cancel shifts. TIFF members also do a wonderful job of warmly welcoming everyone.
The shifts in themselves are quite simple but rewarding if you love interacting with people. I didn’t but surprisingly I enjoyed doing that because the crowd was mostly cinema lovers and I felt more comfortable than I had imagined.
Reviews of My Watchlist at TIFF ‘23
As an international student juggling college, assignments, and work, dedicating a lot of time to movies is but a beautiful dream. Even though we, as volunteers, had unlimited free access to public screenings of movies (through ‘rush’ lines and ticket vouchers), I wasn’t sure if I could fit any movie into my schedule.
I wasn’t even sure which ones to prioritize, given that they were all uncharted territories for me. Barely any familiar actor, director, or studio to influence my choices. Yet, I somehow ended up watching 5 full-length features and a bunch of short films and regretting none of ‘em.
Here’s a quick review of these movies in the order in which I watched them:
1. ShortCuts 5
This year’s TIFF had 6 different ShortCuts, each with a unique movie line-up and I have never seen one open to a single empty seat in the theaters. Hoorah short filmmakers!
2. The King Tide
This Canadian production shot entirely in the stunning landscapes of Newfoundland, is my FAVORITE on the list.
The movie begins with a pretty unique premise: On the night a mother loses her child during birth, a newborn baby washes up the shore in a row boat. Ten years later, the baby has grown into a lovely girl named Isla (Alicia West Lefler) whose miraculous powers to heal humans, grow crops, and attract fish have unite
d the island community. However, when faced with the changes of adolescence, Isla’s powers develop unexpected consequences, and the community needs to deal with it together.
Want to read my full review? Check out the full blog post on my website.