Tips and tricks for movie fans hoping to maximize their TIFF experience

By Sarah Grishpul

One of the best parts about the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) — besides the movies, that is — are the celebrities. For us Canadians, this is the closest some of us will ever get to witnessing Hollywood fame up close. 

In order for ordinary folks to meet celebrities, TIFF offers Torontonians a chance to enter the Fan Zone — an enclosed, exclusive access area where people can take pictures, receive autographs and talk with movie stars in a zoo-like setup. 

Having been an avid TIFF-goer since 2019, I had never really experienced the totality of a Fan Zone experience. The earliest memory I have of attempting such a thing was standing around David Pecaut Square with my dad, waiting for Nicole Kidman to show up to the red carpet. We lasted about an hour before getting impatient and deciding to leave. 

This year, however, I was determined to see a celebrity up close. Maybe even grabbing an autograph. Or a picture. Honestly, just being in their presence was enough of a motivator.

For all those fellow rookies out there curious about the process, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to have a successful Fan Zone experience.

Step 1: Wake up early. You heard me. Early.

The way to get behind the barrier at TIFF is to pick up a free wristband for your designated red carpet event. This year, the table was set up at David Pecaut Square, and fans had between 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. daily (except Sundays) to pick up wristbands. Sounds easy enough, right? Wrong.

I am not joking around when I tell you that there are some hardcore fans out there who will wait in line several hours before the start time. They’re the people with the folding chairs, binders filled with movie posters, portraits and multiple sharpies available in every pocket. Hardcore. 

Despite knowing this in advance, waking up at 5 a.m. to take the night bus all the way down to King Street and arriving at least two hours before 9 a.m., I only made it in time to get a place in the middle of the line.

Thankfully, my coworker had arrived much earlier than I did with her friends and allowed me to bump up several spots of the line to join her. This leads to my first hot tip:

Never Fan Zone alone! 90 per cent of people participating in Fan Zones are waiting in line for hours on end. It’s smart to bring along a friend so that you can hold each other’s places in line to go on bathroom breaks, snack runs or even just for camaraderie’s sake! If you don’t have a buddy willing to brave this adventure with you, try chatting up the people in line. Chances are you’ll have something in common to talk about, and you might even walk away from this experience with a brand new friend!

If you’re not a morning person (valid) or missed out on a chance to get a wristband, you can join a rush line to enter the Fan Zone, once all the wristband holders have gone in. You’ll get less of a prime spot, but hey at least you’ll be in!

Step 2: Time to play the waiting game

Alright, you’ve got your wristband. Now what? Fan Zones officially open two hours before the event, but depending on the start time of your red carpet, you’ll want to get in line at least three to four hours before it begins. But why, you may ask? Well, everyone else with a wristband wants to ensure they get the best spot and are not afraid to wait however long to get it. To ensure you don’t end up last, you’ll need to secure a good place in line and fiercely mark your territory.

Considering you’ll be in this line for quite some time, here are some tips on what to wear and bring accordingly:

• Wear comfortable shoes and clothes! If you want to look sexy for Adam Driver, wearing stilettos and tight, restrictive clothing is not the way to go. Comfortable running shoes and loose-fitting outfits are great choices to ensure you don’t walk away from this experience sore or uncomfortable. 

• Take note of the weather! If the forecast calls for rain, bring an umbrella and jacket. If it’s cold, wear layers. If it’s hot, wear light clothing and drink plenty of water! Adaptability is key to survival in the line!

• Pack lunch! Waiting over five hours in two separate lines is brutal. I’d recommend packing a lunch or snacks to keep your energy going. Alternatively, if you’re with a group of friends, you can take turns grabbing food without losing your spot in line.

Step 3: Time to enter the bullpen

Two hours before the start time, the wristband line will be permitted to enter the Fan Zone. Time to move this line into the barricades! Before you’re allowed inside, security will do a bag check to make sure you’re not bringing anything illegal or dangerous into the event. According to TIFF’s website, this includes:

• Professional cameras (lenses longer than 6″)
• Posters or signs larger than 11×17 inches
• Backpacks
• Bags larger than 12 x 12 x 6 inches
• Ladders or Chairs
• Selfie sticks, tripods or monopod
• Aerosol canisters
• Laser pointers, megaphones or airhorns
• Alcohol, drugs and/or paraphernalia
• Illegal items and weapons of any kind
• Any hazardous, inappropriate, offensive, or suspicious items

Avoid bringing in large backpacks. Purses, tote bags and fanny packs are permitted. Again, prior research is your friend. You don’t want to have to wait in line for hours only to be barred from entering the premises because you brought your swiss army knife along.

Step 4: Find a good spot to watch from the barricade

Now that you’ve finally made it inside, you’ve got to be tactical about where you choose to position yourself. When I was in the King Street Fan Zone outside the Princess of Wales Theatre, I decided to join a rush line and found myself right against the barricade but at the end of the line. Once the celebrities arrived, to my disappointment after waiting over four hours, none of them made their way completely down the line before being ushered inside the theatre. Tom Hiddleston even skipped over a majority of the Fan Zone to sign autographs and meet people from the barricade accessible to anyone just walking by on the street.

You can’t control whether or not a celebrity will make it to you, but what you can do is put yourself in the most accessible place to be approached. Barricade spots closer to the entrance or to where the black cars pull up are prime spots. It’s also better to be pressed up against the barricade, rather than behind several others, as to give the stars better access to your autograph book or to take selfies with.

Step 5: Behave accordingly, celebrities are still people

Celebrities. Don’t. Owe. You. Anything.

It’s important to remember that celebrities are people too, and just because you waited the entire day to meet them does not give you the right to act untowardly toward the guests and your fellow fans in line too. 

You can cheer their name, feel excited and ask for a selfie or an autograph, but just understand that they may not have enough time to engage with all of the fans. It can be disappointing, but you need to learn to live past it. 

Respecting boundaries is another important thing to consider when interacting with people on the red carpet. Don’t grab, grope or push anyone — regardless of their fame status — always ask for permission before getting physical and avoid pushing your fellow fans in line to get access to incoming celebrities. 

Another helpful piece of advice I have to offer is to try not to get too starstruck! When multiple celebrities made their way to my area of the barricade, I clammed up and was too scared to utter a single word. Thankfully, I brought my shameless, extroverted friend along, who successfully asked Stephanie Hsu for a photo with the two of us and Kit Connor for his autograph (which he later scanned and sent me a copy of).

At the end of the day, despite having waited in line for only about an hour of stargazing, I finally felt like I had (somewhat) mastered the art of the Fan Zone. It’s an intense process with the risk of either receiving little payoff or a big reward.

While it will certainly be the last time in a long while that I will attempt an experience like this, I had fun regardless. 

Even though TIFF has come and gone, I hope that with this guide in hand and the knowledge I have passed down, next year you too can survive the Fan Zone!