As film festival temperatures rise in anticipation of TIFF, the Toronto International Film Festival, so too, festival fever rages for TUFF (the Toronto Urban Film Festival) screening on hundreds of digital display screens mounted in subway platforms of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
TUFF is an award winning digital media event, and the only true 'underground' festival in North America, reaching an audience of over 1 million daily commuters on Onestop Media Group's TTC network of digital 'out-of-home' displays.
TUFF features seven different urban-themed categories of one-minute silent films, running every 10 minutes from September 10 - 19, 2010. This year, TUFF will include more specially designated screening areas called 'TUFF Film Zones' at select downtown stations, where the festival will screen nonstop for 10 days.
TUFF is co-produced by Onestop Media Group and Art for Commuters, and funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.
"It looks like this will be our strongest year yet," Sharon Switzer, Director of TUFF says. "I am pleased not just with the remarkable number of submissions we received this year, but with the quality of so many of the films. It is very exciting to be able to add powerful and beautiful gems from film and video artists in 25 diverse countries to the abundance of local talent that we showcase at TUFF."
TUFF received 355 submissions this year from 25 Countries, including Canada, which is a 43% increase from 2009 and a 118% increase in international submissions.
"We are overwhelmed by the local and international recognition TUFF is receiving! It truly is a unique festival that requires no tickets, no line-ups, and is fused into the daily commute of TTC riders. TUFF gets "shared" far beyond the subway platform because of its digital nature. We are excited to see and share new TUFF films with the community and encourage fans to visit the new mobile compatible website, search the new film library, leave a comment, vote for the best, join our twitter and facebook groups, and so much more," added Michael Girgis, CEO and President, Onestop Media Group, on whose digital signage displays the films will screen.
Deepa Mehta, whose dazzling film trilogy, Fire, Earth, Water, captivated audiences worldwide will be this year's TUFF guest judge. Deepa joins a prestigious list of actors and filmmakers who have served as TUFF guest judges, including Don McKellar (2009) Mark McKinney (2008) and Jeremy Podeswa (2007). Since its launch in 2007, the festival has grown in both size and stature, currently featuring 80 ultra-short films and over $15,000 in cash and prizes.
For more information, visit http://www.torontourbanfilmfestival.com
About The Producers:
Art for Commuters (A4C)
Art for Commuters is a non-profit arts collective that initiates unique, thought-provoking projects in the public realm. As ONESTOP Media Group's community arts programming partner, they bring urban art festivals and competitions to over 1 million people daily on the ONESTOP network of screens throughout the TTC subway system. Projects include: Contacting Toronto, Earth Day 'Every Day Heros' Film Competition, The Toronto Urban Film Festival, and DRIFT (part of Nuit Blanche). Art for Commuters was founded in 2007 by Sharon Switzer.
About ONESTOP Media Group
Onestop Media Group (Onestop) is a world leader in the development, operation and innovation of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Media. Onestop owns and operates Canada's largest portfolio of DOOH properties, collectively reaching a Canadian audience of over 2,000,000 viewers daily. Onestop's expertise in transit, hospitality, retail, education, corporate, and residential environments is recognized by such clients as: Toronto Transit Commission, Hilton Hotels, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Queens University, Toronto Board of Trade, and Minto. Onestop is constantly expanding its DOOH portfolio through qualified new partnerships, joint ventures, and strategic acquisitions.