As the 51st Toronto International Film Festival wraps up Sunday, a mix of crowd highlights and mounting complaints shaped the final stretch.
The Story
The 51st Toronto International Film Festival is set to wind up Sunday, with the closing days reflecting two parallel themes: the continued pull of high-profile premieres and audience moments, and a rising list of friction points for attendees and industry players. Across a lineup that included major stars and industry deal-making, festival-goers also raised concerns about costs, cinema etiquette, and how artificial intelligence is being used in filmmaking.
One of the most visible storylines heading into the finale was the heated race for TIFF’s People’s Choice Award. The competition, according to reporting from the festival, featured several strong contenders, including Jesse Eisenberg’s comedy “The Debut,” which drew an especially enthusiastic reaction from audiences during public screenings and was followed by Q-and-A sessions with the filmmaker.
Other titles described as standouts in the People’s Choice conversation included Peter Farrelly’s feel-good “I Play Rocky,” presented as a “knockout” premiere about the making of the boxing film, and “Club Kid,” a comedy-drama focused on first-time filmmaker Jordan Firstman’s story of being thrust into fatherhood. The coverage also pointed to Oscar-winning director Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine” as a critical darling.
Beyond awards talk, TIFF crowds gravitated toward recognizable faces and the fan energy they can draw. Hudson Williams, described as the festival’s most buzzy star, drew large groups outside on King Street ahead of what was noted as a sold-out Q-and-A and the premiere of his new television show “YAGA.” The reporting said audiences reacted not only to his appearance but also to his answers during the fireside chat, including comments tied to the realities of fame and his approach to getting into character.
The festival’s atmosphere was also shaped by what frequent attendees described as increasingly participatory fan rituals. TIFF regulars are used to pre-screening advertisements that prompt audience shouts, but this year’s crowds reportedly leaned in with even louder reactions during the annual piracy notice. There was also more participation connected to on-screen prompts such as a “We love you, Christie!” shout-out when a projection company’s logo appeared, as well as applause for a volunteer advertisement featuring SNL star Veronika Slowikowska.
The programming also intersected with political life, reflecting the broader context of Canada’s relationship with the United States. Prime Minister Mark Carney was reported to have received the warmest public reception among figures on the red carpet during TIFF Tribute Awards, with cheers outside the Fairmont Royal York Hotel described as louder than those for award recipient Seth Rogen. Separately, former prime minister Justin Trudeau used the festival as a platform for a new entertainment production company, Hope and Hard Work, which he is set to run with long-time chief of staff Katie Telford.
In the business side of the festival, organizers highlighted programming opportunities that let movie lovers browse collections in person. The Cinema Cellar—described as a curated movie shop run in partnership with Criterion—served as a daily destination for cinephiles. Criterion’s catalog, known for classic and international films, was part of the appeal, and the reporting compared the setup to last year’s Criterion Closet experience, where visitors had limited time to tour a pop-up space and select DVDs.
Not everything about the festival drew praise, however. Some of the most common complaints began before TIFF officially got underway, centered on ticket pricing. Reporting said fans who bought during member sales reported premium screenings—often including Q-and-A sessions with cast or directors—listed at more than $128, while resale prices on third-party sites were described as multiple times higher despite legislation capping seat prices at face value.
There were also practical travel and access issues that reached high-profile levels. Video circulated during the festival showed Seth Rogen asking security in front of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel whether his car could be allowed to cut through stanchions to pull up directly rather than taking a drive estimated at 25 minutes around. In another transit-related example, Cole Sprouse, in town promoting “Vintage Violence,” told a reporter he used public transit while in Toronto and endorsed that option.
Another recurring source of tension involved artificial intelligence in filmmaking. During the premiere of director Danny Boyle’s tabloid journalism film “Ink,” the reporting said some audience members objected to the use of AI to animate older photographs within a montage and to add mice to another scene. The controversy extended into a post-screening exchange tied to Boyle’s description of his use of the technology, along with “AI slop” stickers appearing on a billboard outside the Princess of Wales Theatre promoting the film.
Festival culture itself also came under scrutiny in the quieter moments inside theatres. TIFF attendees reportedly traded stories and complaints about behaviour ranging from phone-checking and smartwatch use to crinkling snack packaging. The reporting referenced mid-film scrolling on Instagram, persistent commentary on screen action, and physical disruptions such as kicking the seat in front, alongside coughing during screenings.
Access to major stars and media interactions was another area where festival participants saw differences from prior years. The coverage noted that TIFF would no longer host film-specific press conferences and that many studios have reduced the number of junkets they run, which resulted in fewer opportunities for fans to hear from top celebrities. Even with some stars described as generous with their time—along with examples including Anna Kendrick, Rooney, Kate Mara, Naomi Watts, and John Turturro staying in character on the red carpet—others were reported as moving through events quickly with limited media time.
Industry representatives also had a new avenue to formalize deal-making: TIFF’s first official market. The reporting said the market was designed to help filmmakers shop projects, find distributors, or secure funding, effectively formalizing long-standing negotiations that had often taken place around the festival. At the same time, TIFF spokesperson Nicole Chrysostom-Murray was said to indicate in a Friday email that the festival did not yet have a complete count of deals spurred, though the market announcements identified 28 upcoming films.
Within that market context, the reporting provided figures intended to show the scale of attendance and purchasing activity. TIFF said more than 7,010 delegates took part, described as a 40 per cent increase over the typical 5,000 industry members that attend the festival. Buyers were also said to number roughly 1,473, a 19 per cent rise from 2025, with about 40 per cent of buyers coming from the United States and countries such as Canada, Germany, France, and the U.K. rounding out the top five.
For Vancouver-area audiences and Canadian viewers following TIFF from afar, the final stretch highlights how major film festivals are now shaped by more than just premieres. The mix of audience-driven awards momentum, star-focused attention, and pop-up cinephile experiences is being accompanied by more public debate about AI methods, the cost of access, and the rules of shared theatre space. With the festival ending Sunday, the lingering practical questions—about ticketing fairness, media accessibility, and responsible technology use—may be among the issues readers carry into future Canadian festival seasons.
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