TIFF 2010 - Toronto

The Toronto International Film Festival has it all going on this year.

Relationships, romance, hockey musicals, conflicts, perspectives and lust - the Toronto International Film Festival makes it easy to catch a glimpse of the newest released artistic films and star sightings. Traveling to Toronto from out of town? The restaurants and hotels are world class too.

Film FestivalThis week Toronto's International Film Festival opens its 35^th season and stretches over 11 action-packed days. Good luck choosing from the more than 300 diverse films over the span of September 9-19^th, 2010.

This year's TIFF adds 2 Gala's, 18 Special Presentations and 14 World Premieres to the lineup of 339 movies from 59 countries. The World Premieres highlighted are:

• 22nd of May ~ Koen Mortier, Belgium, World Premiere
• Africa United ~ Debs Gardner-Paterson, United Kingdom, World Premiere
• Behind Blue Skies ~ Hannes Holm, Sweden, World Premiere
• Blessed Events ~ Isabelle Stever, Germany, World Premiere
• The Edge ~ Alexey Uchitel, Russia, World Premiere
• Even the Rain ~ Icíar Bollaín Spain/France/Mexico, World Premiere
• The First Grader ~ Justin Chadwick, United Kingdom, World Premiere 
• Home for Christmas ~ Bent Hamer, Norway/Germany/Sweden, World Premiere 
• Jucy ~ Louise Alston, Australia, World Premiere
• Lapland Odyssey ~ Dome Karukoski, Finland, World Premiere
• Late Autumn ~ Kim Tae-Yong, South Korea, World Premiere
• Matariki ~ Michael Bennett, New Zealand, World Premiere 
• Neds ~ Peter Mullan, United Kingdom/France/Italy, World Premiere
• Tracker ~ Ian Sharp, United Kingdom/New Zealand, World Premiere
• White Irish Drinkers ~ John Gray, USA, World Premiere 

TIFF Bell Lightbox

TIFF Bell LightboxThe TIFF Bell Lightbox celebrates its grand opening this weekend and will be the permanent home in Toronto for film lovers to celebrate cinema from around the world. This architectural beauty will become the TIFF centerpiece and a year-round venue for film and cinema.

Canadian film director Bruce McDonald's showing of Trigger will be the inaugural film premiere on September 12th at the new home of TIFF while the street party celebrations kick it into high gear outside.

Star Sightings and Parties

The Opening Night pre-gala cocktail party begins at Spice Route on King St. kicking off the festivities Sept. 9^th . Dinners and parties run the course of the TIFF celebration at venues like Sotto Sotto, Bistro 990, Opus and along the Yorkville corridor and the likes of Brassaii, Susur Lee's Madeline's, Kit Kat, Red Tomato, Urban along the King St. W restaurant row.

Stars we're waiting to catch a glimpse of include Clint Eastwood, Colin Firth, Megan Fox, James Franco, and many other actors and industry heavy-weights. Rooftop parties will abound for private group celebrations around the city.

Where to Stay around the TIFF Zone

Gladstone - Echame Flores RoomBoutique haunts like the Gladstone, Drake, Sutton Place and Windsor Arms are the spaces to see and be seen. We'd also like to add the Pantages Hotel, the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel, Cosmopolitan Toronto, and Hotel Le Germaine as a few more of the chic, trendy, urban escape boutique Hotels in the Toronto International Film Festival corridor. You never know who might be rooming next door or partying at the private rooftop patio.

The Toronto International Film Festival has grown into a world-renowned showcase of Canadian and global talent, presented on a scale and grandeur to compete with the likes of Cannes, Venice, Sundance and other global heavyweight Festivals.

Add the TIFF Bell Lightbox and the festival becomes a year-round celebration of new and emerging talent worthy of the world class stage.

For all the latest buzz on the festival and the reviews on the films themselves, bookmark Toronto International Film Festival and check it often. For hotter gossip and updates, follow the updates on Twitter with @TIFF_net or scan the Twitter hashtags #TIFF10 .

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