Cinema Screenings

Cinema Screenings

When should I arrive for my Festival screening?

How can I avoid lines for my Festival screening?

Do I need to sit in the seat listed on my ticket?

How can I find out about any changes to my screening?

What happens if I can no longer attend my screening?

What health and safety protocols must I follow at the indoor venues?

Does TIFF perform bag checks? Which items are prohibited?

When should I arrive for my Festival screening?

Please arrive no earlier than 60 minutes prior to your screening. If you have an accessibility concern that limits your ability to stand in a line, please see “What are lobby passes?” in the Accessiblity section of TIFF Helps.

All Festival screenings and events will start promptly at the scheduled start time. Latecomers will be admitted at the discretion of the Front of House staff. Latecomers not admitted will not be issued a refund.

How can I avoid lines for my Festival screening?

Lining up is part of the Festival experience! Line ups outside of venues are usually made up of ticket holders waiting to get in to their screening. Screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Scotiabank Theatre are general admission and ticket holders may choose to line up early to get their preferred seating.

We recommend arriving no earlier than 60 minutes prior to your screening

Audience members may also be waiting in the Rush line if they have not purchased tickets in advance and there are no tickets available for purchase. Rush tickets are sold to those in the Rush line on a first-come, first-served basis.

Do I need to sit in the seat listed on my ticket?

Yes. Tickets for films at Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, and Royal Alexandra Theatre have assigned seating. The location of your designated seat will be listed on your ticket. If you need assistance locating this seat, please speak to a member of the Front of House team.

Tickets for films at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Scotiabank Theatre may not have assigned seating, as these venues host screenings with general admission seating. For advice on how to get the seat you prefer, read “When should I arrive for my Festival screening” above.

How can I find out about any changes to my screening?

All screening changes (including date, time, and location) are noted on tiff.net/changes after our schedule goes live on August 15 at 10am. If you have purchased tickets to a screening that has been changed or cancelled, you will receive a notification email from our Customer Relations team.

What happens if I can no longer attend my screening?

All sales are final. If you are no longer able to attend an in-person event within two hours of your screening’s start time, please contact us at customerrelations@tiff.net.

What health and safety protocols must I follow at the indoor venues?

TIFF will be following all current provincial health and safety guidelines. Before you visit one of our venues, please review the health and safety information here. If you are unsure about the current guidelines, please speak to a member of the Front of House team.

Does TIFF perform bag checks? Which items are prohibited?

For security purposes, bags will be checked at Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, and at other indoor venues periodically. All bags are subject to search by security. Prohibited items include:

  • Professional/long-lens cameras
  • Selfie sticks, monopods, tripods, etc.
  • Signs, posters, flags, or banners
  • Illegal substances, alcohol or drug paraphernalia
  • Large bags or backpacks (12" x 12" x 6" max.)
  • Chairs or ladders
  • Laser pointers, megaphones, or air horns
  • Outside food or drink
  • Aerosol cans
  • Weapons

Any objects deemed hazardous, inappropriate, or unacceptable by security or that, in their opinion, may be used as a weapon of any kind (e.g. hammer, tools, baseball bat, hockey sticks) will not be permitted and may result in denial or ejection from the venue.

The Toronto International Film Festival is dedicated to the protection and safety of its patrons, fans, artists, staff, and Volunteers. For your safety, new security measures have been implemented. Please plan accordingly for possible additional wait times as we process people through the mandatory bag-check stations. If you are bringing a bag, please bring only what’s needed and ensure you have read through the list of prohibited items in advance.