TGiF 725

Because Michael's in France, this was taken in France/Cannes 2009 (Antoine Doyen)

I'm going on record to state that this entire week has been a test for my mental and physical well-being. Work has been completely insane, and this is topped off with still moving little boxes every other evening to lighten the load for the movers to come on Saturday. The less shit they have to move and touch, the quicker they finish, and the less I'll have to pay them. So that's why I'm moving little shit that I can. Plus, I love visiting my new apartment and I will officially go to sleep in my new apartment Saturday night. But, I digress... while I'm stressing out here in plain dull Michigan, it was tweeted that Michael Fassbender was spotted in a coastal French town that I have never heard of until today called Biarritz. I had to Google it to see if it was really on planet Earth and it is and it's very, very posh (let the record show that I will stay at this hotel one day). Apparently Michael was seen learning how to surf. Danggit, why couldn't he be on the beach laying out there drinking Bloody Mary's while wearing navy blue Speedos? But to surf, you have to cover your body up in surfers gear and it's not very sexy.

But at least he's enjoying some holiday time before he starts up filming Light Between the Oceans in September. And so with Michael surfing in the South of France, it appears that he's done filming Trespass Against Us. Also earlier this week, TIFF announced the first round of 60 films that will screen at the festival in September, but Slow West was not announced... yet. Mind there are roughly 150 more film titles to be added onto the slate, so Michael's Slow West could still be announced in a few weeks. Trust me, this is the norm, it's like this every year. TIFF wets the palate of the cinephile by announcing the films that have been confirmed to be Galas and Special Presentations first, and then as they continue to negotiate with studios for other films, they will announce the complete list in mid-August, just about 10 days or so before tickets go on sale. One highlight this week at work is that I have been approved to take TIFF time off in September, and my TIFF Toronto host is going to host me again from Thursday to Wednesday of the festival. I am so lucky to have this arrangement at TIFF because it I didn't, my enjoyment of the festival in the past four years would have been quite different, and not in a good way. It costs a lot of money to attend TIFF and to really have fun at the festival and in the city. If I were to estimate the cost I'm saving by being the guest of my host, look at this breakdown:

Hotel @ $170 night for 6 nights = $1,020 (if I could even find one at this low price, and this is not including outrageous Canadian tax)
Tiff tickets for 15 films = $600
Food/drinks = $300*
Train/parking/gas/customs = $225*
Estimated total = $2,145 (with the exception of my travel, and some light snacks from Subway and Tim Hortons, everything else is covered by the host. Yes, I'm super lucky!) Prior to my host hooking me up, I was lucky to do TIFF the Friday to Sunday, and even then it was still expensive paying everything myself, it still cost over $600.

We'll surely see more of Michael Fassbender soon enough. Meanwhile, enjoy your summer like how he apparently is enjoying his.

TGiFassy!