The TIFF Season

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”

― Margaret Atwood, Bluebeard's Egg

It’s TIFF time of the year again and if you‘re in Toronto, at sundown, you’ll be greeted by a sea of orange. These people, dressed in bright, mostly oversized, orange t-shirts are the festival volunteers. The people who took time off of watching movies, staying in their pajamas drinking wine or just chilling with their furbaby, to help improve your festival experience. A sacrifice that must not be undervalued.

I used to think volunteering is about giving back but TIFF changed that for me. Aside from watching all those movies and fangirling, there’s just so much that you can take away from the experience. I wouldn’t trade the endless conversations about the red carpet outfits or secretly devouring the candies in the volunteer lounge while still pretending to be on a diet, for anything else.

So if you’re not doing it already, here’s why you should volunteer for TIFF :

1.      It’s a cool thing to do

2.      There’s a chance you’ll hang out with movie lovers you might not meet otherwise

3.      Deep discussions about ‘Is Shawn Mendes really dating Camila’ can blossom into really strong friendships!

4.      Last but not least, the candies in the volunteer lounge are GREAT!

Great volunteering experiences are always only a possibility. But TIFF made me realize that it’s a chance worth taking. TIFF, to my mind, is a season more than a film festival. It’s almost criminal to not go out and experience all the madness. So get involved- find volunteering opportunities, join the rush lines or catch a movie after work that you know nothing about. For once, it’s great to be a part of the madding crowd.

Ketki