TUFF to showcase one-minute films during TIFF

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Subway stations may see platforms full of riders standing and staring, mouth agape, while the Toronto Transit Commission plays host to the Toronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF).

TUFF, the only one of its kind in North America, is an eight-day film festival for TTC commuters. In its second year, TUFF is co-produced by Art for Commuters and ONESTOP Media Group.

"We wanted to support and channel the creative energy in this city," said Sharon Switzer, executive director of Art for Commuters at the TUFF press conference on Aug. 27 at the Drake Hotel on Queen Street West.

It reaches more than one million people daily because the films screen on the 300 ONESTOP Network platform screens throughout the subway system.

There are 77, one-minute silent films that revolve around seven themes: urban encounters, urban fears, urban growth, urban imaginary, urban natural, urban secrets and urban travels.

The films were chosen by a jury from a pool of 240 submissions. According to juror Judy Gladstone, what makes the festival so wonderful is that it makes art accessible and exposes it to an audience that may not normally see that type of film.

"Those traveling on the TTC will be surprised by what comes on the screen," Gladstone said. "Among the TTC viewers are many like us, who would go out of their way to see these films, but there are many, many more who will be surprised by them."

Mark McKinney of Kids in the Hall, is this year's TUFF guest judge and will choose the Top 3 films of the festival. The audience chooses the final winner by voting online. Those winners will be announced at the Drake Hotel on Sept. 14.

This year's festival runs from Sept. 5 to 12, concurrent with the Toronto International Film Festival.

"... There is a fantastic film to be made just of the people watching some of the films in this series," McKinney said. "I think it is a fantastically exciting idea."

Ward 33 (Don Valley East) Councillor Shelley Carroll and member of the city's film, television and commercial production industry committee (film board) said this form of artistic expression and screening means Toronto is becoming a truly creative city.

"We have to take the art and get it out there to where everyone sees it and everyone is inspired and everyone truly treasures the fact that they live in a creative city because that attracts all those other components of a city that you need for success."

Visit www.torontourbanfilmfestival.com for details.