ABSTRACT
From 1995 to 2005 I was a film programmer at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)—one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. Along with a co-programmer or two, I would help select the Canadian films that would screen at the festival that year. In many respects this was a dream job. I got paid to watch movies and discuss them with my film-obsessed colleagues. I met filmmakers, producers, actors, and other members of the creative teams. I traveled to other festivals and cities to preview films. My programming decisions and the films I advocated helped shape national film culture. During the festival I introduced films and facilitated question-and-answer periods, I attended parties and dinners, and I accompanied celebrities down the red carpet. The months of hard preparatory work melted away in the euphoria of those fast-paced adrenaline-filled ten days; it was all very exciting and yes, at times, glamorous.
