The Toronto International Film Festival has begun offering digital rentals of new movie releases that would have played on screens at its Bell Lightbox headquarters that have been shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Digital TIFF Bell Lightbox initiative will offer new releases starting at CAN$5.99 ($4.50) per title until Aug. 14, ahead of a largely virtual TIFF in early September.
After the festival, digital movie rentals will resume in October. Classic indie movie titles and exclusive talks will also be available for rental from TIFF.
The digital release platform is another sign that the Toronto fest is headed online, after the announcement of a first-time digital platform in September, to comply with safety precautions.