'Not a people's festival any longer': TIFF fans grapple with higher ticket costs
Fans of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) are expressing frustration over rising ticket prices, with some premium screenings exceeding $100 for the first time. Long-time attendees fear the event is losing its reputation as an accessible 'people's festival.'
Why it matters
The pricing strategy highlights the tension between commercialization and public accessibility in major cultural institutions.
This year, he saw balcony seats at similar premium screenings, which often include a Q-and-A with the cast or director, selling for as much as $106.
"That makes you go, is this really worth it?" said the Toronto non-profit worker, who has cut back on TIFF galas and now mostly opts for regular festival screenings because of the prices.
While TIFF fans have grown accustomed to tickets edging up by a few percentage points every festival, the hike they noticed this year marked the first time in recent memory that films, other than the opening and closing night galas, cracked the $100 mark.
TIFF announces Being Heumann as opening night film
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