I got a taste of my first ever film festival this week in Toronto in the Form of TIFF, the Toronto International Film Festival with the film Life During Wartime. It started off feeling a bit like an inconvenient and over-priced film. We had to wait in line outside, paid $21, and had to sit in the second row. But once the film started there was a sense of community in the theatre that I’ve only felt at big midnight releases like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. People cheered, laughed, gasped together. It was great. Then, at the very end of the credits, three of the main actors and the two producers came out for a 20 minute question and answer session. A brilliant end to a good movie.

The great thing about the festival is that it last a solid week, which would make for a a great short holiday. You could book tickets ahead, see a couple of films each day, and explore and enjoy the city with the rest of your time. Sounds like a pretty perfect and relaxing getaway after the little taste that I had.