Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF)
The Toronto Urban Film Festival, North America's largest commuter film festival is set to roll out its sixth annual edition. For 11 days, from September 7 - 17, 2012, Toronto's subway system will become a standing-room-only cinema showcasing the world's best one-minute silent films to over one million viewers.
TUFF will screen 73 amazing films from 18 countries on the Toronto Transit System (TTC) platform screens, and also feature a new "Too TUFF for the TTC" program of films. "Too TUFF for the TTC" are one-minute films that are extremely well-conceived and executed but too risqué to screen in a public transit setting.
Films play every 10 minutes on Pattison Onestop's 300 subway platform screens in stations across the city. Pattison Onestop will also provide designated "Film Zone" screens for commuters to watch TUFF uninterrupted on the north and south platforms of the Bloor subway station, as well as at Dundas and St. Andrew subway stations.
The 2012 festival includes an exceptional line-up of short, silent film programs, representing the work of both emerging and accomplished filmmakers, video artists and animators from Canada and around the world.
On Friday, September 14th TUFF's spotlight is on renowned Canadian writer and video artist Steve Reinke's new series, "Rib Gets in the Way." A multi-talented auteur, Reinke's videos have garnered much acclaim, including the Bell Canada Video Award. Spotlight is a co-presentation with Trinity Square Video, which commissions new videos by well-known artists to premiere at TUFF.
In partnership with and selected by Lomography Canada, TUFF will showcase five 35mm films made with the LomoKino movie camera on Saturday, September 15th.
TUFF films can also be seen online, and viewers are encouraged to cast their vote from September 5th to September 14th, for the Viewers' Choice Award. The top 10 Viewers' Choice films play on the TTC on Sunday September 16th. www.torontourbanfilmfestival.com
To mark the end of another successful year, the award-winning films will screen on Monday, September 17th highlighting the brilliant work of TUFF's outstanding and talented filmmakers.
"All the films were wonderfully diverse and engaging, and I had a lot of fun watching them. It was tough to choose among them but the nominees stood out for their originality, aesthetic depth, coherence and beauty." said TUFF 2012 Guest Judge Jennifer Baichwal.
Returning to the Festival is The Screening Room at The Drake Hotel. Relax, kick-back and enjoy 75 minutes of back-to-back TUFF from Friday, September 14th to Sunday, September 16th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm in Room 222. Admittance is free.
TUFF is co-produced by Art for Commuters and Pattison Onestop, and is funded by the Ontario Arts Council and NBCUniversal Canada.
Categories: Festivals
