The Toronto Inter-national Film Festival has announced its 2013 dates but Sept. 5-15 overlaps with the Jewish High Holy Days and could leave some filmmakers, agents and executives with a tough decision - to pray or to go.
The dates for the festival, one of the fall's première events, overlap with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (Sept. 4 - Sept.
6), and Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar (Sept. 13-14).
Artistic director Cameron Bailey acknowledged the conflict in Monday's announcement, blaming the busy schedule of festivals in September and October.
"As always, we launch on the Thursday after Labour Day," Bailey said. "This year, that means our dates unfortunately overlap with both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. With our position fixed in a crowded calendar of festivals regulated by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), it's not possible to shift the dates. As a result, we will do our best to schedule repeat screenings to accommodate festival goers who will be observing the Jewish High Holy Days."
Those observing either holiday typically spend the day (and sometimes night) in temple. Yom Kippur also calls for a fast.
Toronto is one of the few can't-miss festivals of the year, thanks to its breadth of offerings and a growing but unofficial market. This year, it featured 147 world premières and more than 400,000 attendees.
In recent years, it has gained prominence in the run-up to the Oscars, helping to launch films such as The King's Speech on their way to Best Picture wins.
