TIFF, Toronto, ON

I recently volunteered for TIFF ... it's my second year. I spent Thursday and Friday at Scotiabank Theatre and Monday and Tuesday at the TIFF Lightbox.

I picked up my volunteer teeshirt the week before my shifts started. That evening previous TIFF volunteers were invited to a complimentary screening of The Fire Inside at the TIFF Lightbox, which was in the festival and was very good. 

I spent Thursday afternoon and evening volunteering at the Scotiabank Theatre. I handed out readmittance tickets after 2 movies started. Plus I ushered so got to watch the first 3 episodes of Thou Shalt Not Steal, a wacky and funny Australian mini series.

I spent Friday afternoon and evening volunteering at the Scotiabank Theatre. I was an attendee counter (with a clicker) at one movie. Then I was an usher at The Mountain, an Australian movie that was really good.

Eric Tisch was attempting to set a world record at this year’s TIFF Festival by watching 80 movies in 11 days (there is currently no Guinness World Record for most movies watched at a film festival). After the movie I ushered this afternoon, he introduced himself and asked if I would sign a form verifying he’d been there. I’d read about his quest so, of course, said yes! That was his 12th movie in 2 days. I wonder if he succeeded?

I spent Monday afternoon and evening volunteering at the TIFF Lightbox. I scanned tickets for 2 movies and ushered (so got to see) the Norwegian film, My Father’s Daughter, which was good.

I spent Tuesday afternoon and evening volunteering at the TIFF Festival ... my last of four shifts. I ushered in Queer.

A benefit of volunteering at the TIFF Festival is on the last day of the festival, which is today, volunteers are invited to a special complimentary screening of the winner of the People’s Choice Award, which this year is The Life of Chuck by Stephen King with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Mia Sara and Karen Gillan.