Welcome to Toronto (After Dark)
Update: You can find all of my articles and reviews at my new website: viewfromthedark.com.
October 15th, 2015 marks the opening of the tenth annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival. It is also my first. Not just my first After Dark, but my first film festival period. I am not certain what to expect over the next ten days other than over twenty independent horror films, numerous shorts and a bunch of genre super fans.
As this particular After Dark has special importance both generally and for me, I have decided to chronicle my experiences here as best I can.
Therefore…
I traveled to Toronto from Washington, D.C. this morning in what can only be described as the most average, uneventful flight of my life. The stereotypically pleasant nature of Canada seemed to be present from the start. I don’t know how many times I have heard “welcome to Toronto” (followed closely by “bienvenue à Toronto”). The airport was easy to get in and out of, it was a pleasure to do business with the vendors around the area, even the spray painting seemed less like vandalism and more like art.
When I checked in at my hotel, naturally I was asked if this was my first time in Toronto (it is — “welcome to Toronto!”) and what I was doing here, especially given the length of my stay.
I’m here for an independent horror film festival.
“I didn’t even know there was a film festival happening here. Is it nearby?”
It’s at the Scotiabank Theatre.
“Oh, that’s just 15 minutes away on foot. I don’t know how I missed that…”
The friendly concierge can’t be faulted for not knowing about After Dark. This is a celebration not just of the horror genre, but independent film makers within that genre. It is the niche within the niche. But a part of me wanted to linger a few moments longer, even if only to say: “If you have a chance over the next ten days, you should check out one of the films at After Dark.”
Not everyone can be here for this experience — both because not everyone cares and of those that do, this is a pretty big investment in time and travel. But I am here and I intend to open as wide a window as I can on this experience.
Also, the view doesn’t hurt.
What do I intend to cover between now and October 23rd?
- Reviews of some (but definitely not all) of the 20+ films and dozens more shorts being screened at After Dark
- Thoughts about the current direction of the horror film genre in general
- Perhaps some discussion about horror fandom based my observations of the crew of independent film makers and fans currently occupying downtown Toronto
- Probably some whackadoodle theorizing about the Paranormal Activity franchise before the curtain goes up on the final entry
- General, free-wheeling travelogues of my first time in Toronto
So, welcome to Toronto.
Follow the rest of my 2015 Toronto After Dark reviews and experiences at A View from the Dark.
