The Dog Days of Summer

I didn’t mean to leave Substack subscribers hanging but the back half of August has been incredibly chaotic.

TIFF finally released the full schedule on Tuesday so it’s been nonstop planning on that end. The virtual film festivals have spoiled me. I’ve gone from having two days to watch a film during TIFF 2021 to you either see it or you don’t during TIFF 2022. While most people know that studios use the film fests to launch their Oscar contenders, indie filmmakers use it to get their films acquired by a distributor. It’s these indie films that also need our attention, too!

Given the size of the TIFF lineup, it’s next to impossible to see everything on the ground, let alone as screeners before the fest starts. Through Saturday night, I’ve watched three TIFF screeners with more to come over the next week. It’s the best way to guarantee coverage on my site as the festival takes place. Otherwise, it’s writing reviews as I can. Moreover, if indie films are screening against a bigger studio release, as much as it pains me to say it, the studio film will take priority. Those are the films that drive traffic, even during festival season. I’m always happy to discover indies and sometimes, they are the films that I’m talking up months after the fest.