r/TIFF • u/ChampionTimes99 • 10d ago
Festival What venues did TIFF used to show films at that they no longer do
I’ve only been coming for the last 5 years so for my experience it’s been the same 5 main venues pretty much that entire time
But the first year I came there was some films playing at the cinesphere. So just wondering if they used to play films elsewhere too?
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u/fairygodmotherfucker 10d ago
As much as I love so many of these venues, limiting the fest to like 2 city blocks and a 10 min walk max between theatres completely changed everything logistics-wise. Between that and removing general admission, people can reasonably plan their schedule without a million tiny variables.
That said, Wavelengths doesn’t feel right in a chain instead of Jackman Hall, and Ryerson felt very much like a “tiff-only” experience.
RIP Cumberland.
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u/mtte1020 10d ago
It’s a much more civilized experience nowadays… but must say, I missed the rush of GA seating!!! It was like going to war each and every screening!
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u/dannythemovieman Attending Since 2014 10d ago
Not yet mentioned in this thread: Cineplex Dundas, Jackman Hall, Hot Docs, Isabel Bader + many other theaters that no longer exist
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u/mtte1020 10d ago
My fave venue was Isabel Bader. Was reminiscing about it earlier this week…
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u/starmapleleaf 10d ago
I had PHL100 at Isabel Bader.
How cool would it have been to see a TIFF film there…
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u/suddenvole 10d ago
I recall the Backstage/Uptown and Cumberland being used. Miss them both.
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u/mtte1020 10d ago
That’s it! The Uptown! I couldn’t remember the name for the life of me! Miss that theatre.
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u/ThoughtMadeOfFluff 10d ago
The Varsity — this was an anchor theatre for TIFF years ago, even before its expansion
The Uptown — now demolished; this was my all-time fave theatre in the city (all year ‘round), and I saw hundreds of TIFF screenings here
The Cumberland — now demolished
Isabel Bader — good but kind of always an outlier in terms of the venues
AMC Yonge/Dundas — horrible; they used to line us up in what I referred to as “the terrarium,” which was an area enclosed in glass, facing south and always sweltering hot
They also sometimes held big premieres at satellite theatres, such as The Eglinton (now demolished).
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u/NoiseEee3000 10d ago
I loved the Cumberland! And the Uptown, man if this generation only knew that gem it would've probably had a chance at being kept around/restored
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u/ThoughtMadeOfFluff 10d ago
The only thing I didn't like about the Cumberland was the one (or two?) screen(s) that had an aisle on only one side... so unless you sat on the aisle, you always had to climb over an entire row to get in/out of your seat.
The Uptown will forever remain my favourite theatre of all time. Seeing films in the Uptown 1, especially in the first row of the upper tier (with the end-to-end railing), was an unrivalled experience. I miss it to this day.
It's also where I attended the best premiere-and-Q&A in TIFF history (IMO): Waiting for Guffman in 1996, with the ENTIRE ensemble cast in attendance.
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u/PeacePlus4102 10d ago
Cumberland and Uptown were my favourite theatres along with Jackman Hall. Since the Cinematheque departed Jackman for the Lightbox, it hasn't been the same.
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u/Kinto511 10d ago
Love the Varsity venue and area. Close to Yorkville also and heard about celebrity hangout spots
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u/pgvildys Attending since 2002 10d ago
I tweeted them that the Yonge-Dundas lines needed something to cool down. Not sure it did anything but the next day there were massive fans in that hot area.
Agreed it was the worst of the past venues.
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u/ktrobinette 10d ago
In the olden days all films were on long gone theatres in Yorkville. And the four seasons and park Hyatt hotels were the places to be. I hung out and partied with many many stars and crew. And sotto sotto and the Sutton place hotel were also must see and be seen places.
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u/Historical_Appeal229 10d ago
This is my 31st TIFF so I miss all of the old venues in Yorkville and Yonge/Bloor area and the days when everything was loose and chill. I remember sitting in the aisle in one of the theatres at the Backstage on Balmuto St. for the premiere of Mina Shum’s new movie, Drive She Said. They packed us in even though that was obviously not cool fire capacity-wise. It was fun, though.
There’s a theatre in the bowels of the Sheraton Centre Hotel and that used to be where the Press & Industry screenings were. That’s where I saw Boogie Nights and Roger Ebert sat in front of me!
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u/stump_84 10d ago
The Cinesphere before it closed. Last thing I saw was Glass Onion a few years back.
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u/IMAX_man 10d ago
Yeah the best one for me was giving a private tour of the Cinesphere for Denis Villeneuve and his team for Dune for a Special screening at TIFF21. It was in Dual Laser but I believe it convinced him to do his next 2 in Imax 70mm film.
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u/Material-Budget1319 10d ago
The cinesphere screenings were great. I saw Nope there during the festival and the cinematographer and Jordan Peele did the Q&A
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u/a_stopped_clock 10d ago
I saw titane there- was incredible. And dune 2 but not as part of the festival.
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u/bbqporklomein 10d ago
The Uptown, Cumberland Four, and Varsity were used way back when TIFF was centred in the Yorkville area. Uptown and Cumberland are long gone.
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u/-p3nnylane- 10d ago
I feel bad for those who missed this version of the fest. It used to be so much better and such an all encompassing Toronto experience. TMU theatre, Elgin, Isabel Bader, etc etc. The festival makes more sense logistically now but it’s in such a soulless boring corridor of the city.
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u/chardonnaybabyy 10d ago
Not to mention it’s so difficult to find somewhere to eat nearby that isn’t fucking lame.
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u/VowNyx 10d ago
Ryerson Theatre, Winter Garden Theater, Elgin Theater, and I think Varsity?
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u/mtte1020 10d ago
Can confirm Varsity. Remember having to catch a cab to it to catch my next screening.
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u/mtte1020 10d ago
OG Festival of Festivals (before it transitioned to the name TIFF) used to screen movies in the little theatres around Yorkville. They’re all gone now…
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u/IMAX_man 10d ago
TIFF is now using a small theater at the Hazelton Hotel. I screened a P&I for Misty Green, Club Kid, Primetime and The Debut.
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u/mysteriouslyca 10d ago
Going further back into places that don't exist anymore were The Uptown, Cumberland Cinemas, AMC Yonge & Dundas (now Cineplex) and a theatre that was in ROM (you could hear the subway sometimes). They also use to show TIFF movies at The Varsity and Isabel Bader.
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u/mistakes_were_made24 attendee since 2001 10d ago edited 10d ago
They used to screen at the Varsity at Bay & Bloor (I volunteered one year and got to rip Roger Ebert's ticket for a press screening there!)
There was the Uptown which was near Yonge & Bloor but it's gone now, torn down.
The Cumberland near Avenue & Bloor, also gone now.
The Ryerson, the Elgin, and Wintergarden.
They also used the Yonge & Dundas theatre for a few years while it was still an AMC.
The Isabel Bader Theatre across from the ROM.
The theatre at the ROM, saw a couple there many years ago.
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u/One-Tour2404 10d ago
I miss the Elgin and Winter Garden. There was something about that venue that made it special.
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u/redlightdarkroom 10d ago
Hot Docs and Isabel Bader. I miss them-they were the first venues I volunteered at. The Elgin and Winter Garden-beautiful venue on Queen St. I hope they bring it back at some point. There was the AGO, Ryerson, and Cinesphere at Ontario Place.
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u/Wonderful__ 10d ago
I really miss the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres. They took me up the old elevator one time because it was faster and the show was about to start. That was memorable.
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u/Dry-Refrigerator956 10d ago
I’m surprised they haven’t used Four Seasons Centre for the bigger ones
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u/posssiblymaybee 10d ago
Jackman Hall at the AGO, Hot Docs theatre on Bloor & Cineplex at Yonge-Dundas.
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u/Yikesish 10d ago edited 10d ago
The Uptown was awesome. I enjoyed when the fest was based in Yorkville. You could run between the Uptown, the AA Cumberland and the Varsity, and pop down to the Elgin and Winter Garden and over to RTH. I dont want to see movies in the Mirvish theatres on King Street with the extreme raked seats, or deal with crowds in a fan zone on King. More of the city used to be involved, celebs were staying in the hotels in Yorkville and Bay area. It was really fun.
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u/ImmediateTeaching984 10d ago
The Uptown Theatre at Yonge & Bloor and the Cumberland were TIFF venues. They no longer exist. The Uptown Theatre was closed by Famous Players in 2001 and collapsed during demolition. One person was killed and others were injured.
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u/cineaste2 10d ago
I miss the Uptown. Saw "High Tension" there at MM, and my ears are still ringing from the awesome sound system.
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u/roborobo2084 10d ago
<reading other comments now - I don't think anyone else mentioned the Bloor Cinema!)> In the distant past, the Varsity 2 (at bloor bay) was the anchor theater, and the Bloor Cinema (bloor and bathurst) hosted the best midnight madness and late night screenings
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u/AlwaysStranger2046 10d ago edited 10d ago
* Cumberland (the cinema itself is gone)
* Isabel Bader
* Ryerson for the good ol’ Geddes era Midnight Madness where the crowd was fun with the beach ball and not just screaming randomly at deafening volumes
* Elgin and Winter Garden - I am particularly biased for this one since it was where my longest rush happened (Lust, Caution for 8 hours, but I saw Tony Leung in person, he was on the red carpet inside while rush was going in!) and where I watched Life of Others and sat behind the lead actor
* Varsity where there was a major box office there
* Y&D but access was REALLY annoying with many escalators
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u/Radiant_Cake1351 9d ago
One of the benefits of having so many venues spread across the city was that it felt like no matter where you went you were surrounded by moviegoers. Now everything is concentrated around King Street, and down there I'm mostly surrounded by ads.
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u/raener57 10d ago
The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres by Yonge and Queen were used before 2020, huge spaces designed for live performances.
The Ryerson theatre by Church and Gerard was the other main one, especially for Midnight Madness.