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Toronto is the behemoth of the festival world. The industry rightly complains that the size of the programme means there is no way one person, or a small team of colleagues, can get a grip on it.

That’s true, and I especially pity the acquisitions executives who are run off their feet. But it is also true that Toronto offers a feast of cinema unlike any other festival. Oscar bait, edgy documentaries, genre films, new film-making voices from across the world – it’s all here.

So, yes, it is hard for any single person to get their head around this programme- but what an embarrassment of riches. TIFF offers not just something for everyone but dozens of somethings for everyone. Even if you don’t have time to see them all, nearly all the year’s best films will be on offer here – and what a wonderful gift that is to the film world.

It’s not a matter of Toronto having a “good year” or a “bad year” like some other festivals – you can guarantee that every year is a good year if you see the right films. And with Bill Condon’s The Fifth Estate, the festival is poised to have its best opening film in years.

Wendy Mitchell, editor, Screen International

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