There are lots of international celebrities in Toronto right now, because the city is hosting a huge film festival, called TIFF or the “Toronto International Film Festival.”
Big stars like Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala from Star Wars), Matt Damon, Colin Firth, Hayden Christensen and Zach Galifianakis are in town for their movies’ premieres.
During the festival, three- to four-hundred new films are shown in 37 different theatres venues all over the city. The festival is a way for directors, who have new films, to “debut” them to thousands of people. More than a quarter of a million people (250,000) attend TIFF each year.
Other film festivals are held around the world – perhaps the most famous is the Cannes Film Festival, held each year in France. However, the Toronto Film Festival has taken its place as one of the most prestigious in the world.
The 2010 Toronto International Film Festival runs for 11 days, ending on September 19.
Related links
Want to keep tabs on which celebrities are in town for the festival? One of the best ways is through Toronto blogs like torontoist.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Film festivals take place all over the world. Why do you think people love movies so much?
Reading Prompt
Have you ever seen a movie star in person? If not, can you imagine what that would be like? Thinking about our own experiences can help us understand what we read.
How do you think knowing about movies or famous actors would help you to understand today’s article?
Primary
Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME: Reading, 1.6).
Junior
Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME: Reading, 1.6).
Grammar Feature: Hyphens in numbers
When writing numbers, hyphens are almost always used between the digit and the value (the exception being 2-digit numbers). Today’s article includes the terms “three-hundred” and “four-hundred.”
Write the year you were born in this format (e.g. one-thousand, nine-hundred, ninety-six).
