#TIFF21: TIFF ’21 AWARDS, PRICING AND KEY DATES ANNOUNCED

Key dates, pricing and Awards at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival have been announced!

Returning this year is the coveted People’s Choice Award, often a precusor to Oscars glory starting with the buzz that generates out of TIFF. In addition, dates for ticketing and scheduling have been confirmed for this year’s Festival.

AWARDS

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD —  A longstanding tradition at TIFF, the People’s Choice Award marks its 44th year in 2021. Audience members who purchase a ticket are encouraged to place a vote for their favourite films online via tiff.net.  Recent People’s Choice winners include Nomadland (2020) and Jojo Rabbit (2019). All feature films in TIFF’s Official Selection are eligible for this award.

PLATFORM – Named after Jia Zhang-ke’s groundbreaking 2000 film Platform, the Platform Prize spotlights films with high artistic merit and strong directorial vision. All films invited to the Platform programme are eligible for this award, which is selected by an international jury. As previously announced, Academy Award–nominated actor Riz Ahmed will serve as the head of the 2021 Platform Prize jury. The winning filmmaker will receive a $20,000 CAD cash prize. 

The FIPRESCI Prize is presented by an international jury selected by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). Founded in 1930, the federation awards the prize at international film festivals to promote film art and to encourage new and emerging filmmakers to contribute to cinema. This year’s Toronto FIPRESCI prize is dedicated to emerging filmmakers premiering a feature-length film worldwide at TIFF. Jury members include Andrew Kendall, Esin Kücüktepepinar, Gilbert Seah, Teresa Vena and Caspar Salmon.

IMDbPro AWARDS — The 2021 IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards are Best Film, Best Canadian Film, and the Share Her Journey Award for best film by a woman. IMDbPro will provide each of the three winners with a bursary of $10,000 CAD and a one-year membership to IMDbPro, the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals, to help them continue achieving success in their careers. These awards build on IMDbPro’s nearly 20-year history of empowering entertainment professionals to discover new talent and projects, and on its ongoing commitment to supporting and collaboratively working with organizations that create greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry, including TIFF’s Share Her Journey initiative. Jury members include Sudeep Sharma, Tiffany Hsiung and Nicole Delaney. 

Presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema, the NETPAC Award recognizes films specifically from the Asian and Pacific region. The jury consists of three members of the international community selected by TIFF and NETPAC, who award the prize to the best Asian or Pacific Islands film. Jury members include Gemma Cubero del Barrio, Isabelle Glachant and Elhum Shakerifar.

AMPLIFY VOICES AWARDS PRESENTED BY CANADA GOOSE — These awards will be presented to the three best feature films by under-represented filmmakers. Canada Goose embraces diversity in all its forms and definitions, including technique and passion that transports storytelling to screen. All feature films in Official Selection by emerging self-identified BIPOC filmmakers and all Canadian features are eligible, and the three winners will receive $10,000 CAD each. Jury members include Yung Chang, Calvin Thomas, Kaniehtiio Horn, Hugh Gibson and Aisha Jamal.

SHAWN MENDES FOUNDATION CHANGEMAKER AWARD — Presented by the Shawn Mendes Foundation, the 2021 Changemaker Award is awarded to an emerging filmmaker at the Festival whose work tackles issues of social change, and comes with a $10,000 CAD cash prize. The winning film will be selected by TIFF’s Next Wave Committee, a group of young film lovers who recognize cinema’s power to transform the world.


TICKET PRICING FOR FESTIVAL 2021 IS AS FOLLOWS:
Tickets for TIFF’s in-person venues — TIFF Bell Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the  Princess of Wales Theatre, Cinesphere Theatre at Ontario Place, and Scotiabank Theatre:

• Regular film screenings: $25 including taxes + fees
• Premium film screenings: $40 including taxes + fees

Drive-in screenings ​— Visa Skyline Drive-In and RBC Lakeside Drive-In at Ontario Place: 

• Car with 1–2 people: $49 including taxes + fees
• Car with 3+ people: $69 including taxes + fees

Open-air cinema screenings​ ​— West Island Open Air Cinema at Ontario Place

• Lawn access for 2 people: $38 including taxes + fees

Digital TIFF Bell Lightbox:

• Regular film screenings: $19 including taxes + fees
• Premium film screenings: $26 including taxes + fees

TIFF Bell Digital Talks

• In Conversation With… events: $12 including taxes + fees (FREE for TIFF Members)

ON-SALE DATES & CATEGORIES 

August 26
Individual tickets for in-person and digital events go on sale to TIFF Patrons Circle Members according to level

August 28
Ticket transfers for in-person and digital events open
(Note: Ticket transfers for digital events are only available until ​September 7 at 5pm)

August 29
Digital ticket package redemption begins for TIFF Members, by level. Closes September 2 at 6pm

September 4
Individual tickets go on sale to Contributors Circle and Members 365 

September 5
Individual tickets go on sale to TIFF Insiders

September 6    
Individual tickets go on sale to the public

September 8
Ticket exchanges for in-person events open 

The schedule for the general public’s screenings will be available on the TIFF website at tiff.net/schedule on Tuesday, August 24 at 10am EDT. The screening schedule for Press & Industry screenings, the Industry Conference, and TIFF Bell Digital Talks programming will be available on TIFF’s website. Printed copies of the TIFF 2021 schedule will not be available.