Film Festival Fever is epidemic with both the Venice International Film Festival and TIFF about to open. If there was ever a time to consider spending time and money on films this is it! Sept 6^th to the 16^thin Toronto – go 5 star accommodations or sleep on a friend’s couch but get to something at TIFF. TIFF offers everything from posh GALAs to FREE movie extravaganzas. The myETVmedia team is doing the legwork to bring you closer to the best of the Festivals through our series of Insider Tips. Even if you just enjoy the festivals vicariously myETVmedia will be bringing you on site with our daily reporting and pre festival Insider Tips.

TIFF the 37^th Toronto International Film Festival will be more spectacular than ever this year. TIFF has always been a mecca for film fanatics and international filmmakers and is the festival that kicks of the film festival season. This year, TIFF’s 2^nd year in its new home The TIFF Bell Lightbox, much about TIFF is better and more glamorous including the opening in Toronto of a number of 5 star hotels the city badly needed. The Ritz-Carlton, The Shangri La, The Trump, The Hazelton Hotel and 18 other luxury hotels will cater to the descending international film elite. TIFF has expanded back to its original Bloor/Yorkville haunts and will be showing many films at the newly renovated HOT DOCs Cinema on Bloor St.

TIFF has made some smart decisions in its selection of films and there is no pandering to Canadian material. The Festival opener ‘Looper’ is a Sci-Fi Action thriller set in 2042, involving mob hit men, time travel and some really crazy confrontations. Director Rian Johnson and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt will all be there. The Festival Closer is a comedy-drama “Song for Marion” directed and written by talent extraordinaire Paul Andrew Williams. The Weinstein Company has already hedged its bets that this one has Oscar merit. TIFF is a film market as well as a festival so much secret high-stakes, backroom negotiations go on as rights for hidden film gems keep the octane level of excitement pumped.

Directors coming to TIFF that have a track record for adding highs to any film event include:

1. Spike Lee is unveiling his much anticipated documentary “Bad 25” on the elusive Michael Jackson. The doc will feature exclusive new footage of Michael and knowing Spike Lee’s abilities will be an extraordinary insight into the King of Pop.