TIFF 2016: Fans get irked with Fan Zone rules

Earlier strangers or fans could prance around the premiering theatres- including Roy Thomson Hall and Princess of Wales. Recently, following a revised security revamp, authorities now ask people to line up early to secure a spot at the designated “Fan Zone” pen area near the venues.

Security bag checks, ban on chairs, ladders, selfie sticks and long lens cameras are also a few more additional features of TIFF revamped security objectives this year.

28-year-old Malory, who was waiting for Michael Fassbender for his premiere of Tresspass Against Us at the Princess of Wales told Toronto Sun, “I’m also a (TIFF) volunteer and at our orientation, they didn’t say anything about this rule.”

Malory further says, “When my friend was down here the other day, we Googled it and it didn’t show anywhere on their Website that this was a thing. I was taken aback.”

The orange sign TIFF Fan Zone at each venue lists the set of rules. From line ups beginning three hours prior to the start of the film to finally permitting visitors to enter the space 2 ½ hours before the film start time, are enlisted on the orange sign board. Fans need to queue to enter when the pen opens and no re-entry is allowed further.

According to TIFF official signboards, “safety and security of all our visitors and guests is a priority of TIFF. This area is acess controlled and has a maximum capacity. Once capacity is reached, no additional visitors will be admitted.”

Although there were designated pens created for fans, many still continued to crowd behind the set-up barricades.

56-year-old Meyela Jones, a fan of TIFF, visits the festival every year. She says, “I am just pissed off. They don’t really care for fans as such. Highly expensive tickets along with separate pockets am not too sure what is the ulterior motif behind all this! I wonder do they want to stop the free fan access from the coming year?”

However, TIFF representative Jennifer Bell released a statement to the Toronto Sun, regarding the new fan rules, "We want festival goers to have the best possible experience during TIFF and the safety and security of fans and guests is paramount. And while we can't speak to the specifics around safety and security measures that we deploy during the festival, we hope spectators will continue to have a terrific experience attending any of our events. We will work towards communicating any changes that might impact fans on our website."

Irked fans just did not stop raving at the venues only, they also went down to social media to vent out their anger about TIFF new fan rules.

Social media fans predicts these rules are a new way to build up restrictions so that in the coming years fan access can just be payable like other paid accesses at TIFF.

(Reporting by: Debarati Mukherjee/IBNS)