At 50, TIFF is still one of greats

Why the showcase remains a must-stop among a crowded field on the awards circuit.

- BY MARK OLSEN

SYDNEY SWEENEY in boxing biopic "Christy."

TORONTO — The Toronto International Film Festival marks its 50th edition this year, bringing together a heady combination of art, business and celebrity.

The festival, which kicked off Thursday night, has become a reliable launching pad for films in North America, particularly those looking to enter the Oscar race.

Though TIFF’s status as an awards-season kingmaker has found fiercer competition in recent years from adjacent events in Telluride and Venice, it unquestionably still matters, remaining an essential spot on the annual calendar of any movie year.

“I think TIFF is a really adaptable festival,” said Robyn Citizen, the festival's director of programming, over Zoom this week. “We can’t always tell where the industry's going, but we do want to be able to still serve our audiences and our industry the best we possibly can.”

Here are just a handful of reasons why TIFF has maintained sucha significant role for solong.

IT’S THE ULTIMATE ONE-STOP SHOP

There will be more than 200 features screening at this year’s festival. Among those having their world premieres are Aziz Ansari’s wealth-inequality comedy “Good Fortune,” Nia DaCosta's updated Ibsen adaptation “Hedda,” Derek Cianfrance’s true-crime caper “Roofman,” Hikari’s family drama “Rental Family,” Nic Pizzolatto’s Las Vegas-set “Easy’s Waltz,” David Michéd’s Sydney Sweeney-starring boxing drama “Christy” and Rian Johnson’s latest Benoit Blanc adventure “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” The festival will open with Colin Hanks’ documentary “John Candy: I Like Me,” also havingits first screening ever.