Cameron Bailey
FILE - Lady Gaga is surrounded by press and security as she walks down Toronto's King Street for the screening of "Gaga: Five Foot Two" at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sept. 8, 2017. This year, three of the four major fall film festivals, including TIFF are going forward despite the pandemic. Those at the Venice Films Festival acknowledge it hasn’t been anywhere near the same. Masked moviegoers in set-apart seats. A barrier walls off the red carpet to discourage crowds of onlookers. Greetings are kiss-less. TIFF opens on Thursday. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Digital and drive-in, film festivals try to salvage a season

By Jake Coyle Sep. 08, 2020 06:22 PM EDT

This combination photo shows actor-director Werner Herzog, left, and actress-director Regina King. The Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday unveiled a lineup featuring the directorial debut of Regina King and the latest documentary from Herzog. King directs a drama about a young Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, titled “One Night in Miami,” and Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer have a meteorite documentary called “Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds." The festival, which is set to run Sept. 10-19, has plotted a largely virtual 45th edition due to the pandemic. (AP Photo)
Toronto sets lineup, Regina King to debut Muhammad Ali film

By Jake Coyle Jul. 30, 2020 10:00 AM EDT

This combination photo shows musician David Byrne, left, and director Spike Lee. Lee’s filmed version of Byrne’s “American Utopia” will kick off the 45th Toronto International Film Festival. The Canadian festival said Tuesday that “American Utopia” will premiere on September 10 in Toronto, even if it remains unclear if it will be a physical screening. That, the festival noted, will be contingent on the dictates of Ontario health officials. (AP Photo)
Spike Lee doc of David Byrne's Broadway show to open TIFF

By Jake Coyle Jul. 21, 2020 10:09 AM EDT

FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2019 file photo, a volunteer takes a photo of people next to signage promoting the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto. The festival, one of the leading launching pads for fall movies and Oscar contenders, announced plans for a smaller 2020 edition with virtual red carpet premieres and drive-in screenings. It is typically a sprawling city-wide affair that hosts between 250-400 feature-length films and the debuts of many of the fall movie season’s top releases. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Scaled-down Toronto Film Festival plans virtual red carpets

By Jake Coyle Jun. 24, 2020 10:00 AM EDT