Sutton Place Grande le Meridien Hotel is the nerve centre of the Toronto Festival of Festivals. For the 10 day screening and schmooze fest, executive director Helga Stephenson and her gang pack up their offices on Carlton Street and take up temporary residence at the Sutton.

If star gazing is your hobby than the lobby of the Sutton is a great place to loiter. Press conference schedules are a great way to gauge when to take your position. In past years, Playback has got an eyefull of Tim Robbins, Matt Dillon and River Phenix to name a few.

If the Sutton is the nerve centre of the Toronto Festival of Festivals than the press office is surely the heartbeat. The press Office located on the second floor of the Sutton. It's where communication mavens Michele Maheux and Susan Norget and their staff of 17 odd people operate from. It's also where executive director Helga Stephenson or deputy director Piers Handling can be found ironing out unforeseen wrinkles and coordinating the plethora of luncheons, cocktails and private dinner parties. Chances are if Stephenson or Handling aren't in the press office or adjacent rooms on the second floor, they may be up on the third floor where the festival has several suites for programmers, ticketing administrators and print control.

The press office is fitted with mail boxes for each member of the press. Filmmakers and distributors can arrange to have promotional material or messages put into any or all boxes. Accredited press can also book interviews with directors and actors through publicists working in the office.

The press office always has a couple of tables set up for promotional material and update information on press screening dates and times. Black boards with information on changes in screenings and times of press conferences are strategically placed outside the entrance at press office. The office will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Hot Hangouts

At Festival Headquarters in Sutton Place Keminski Hotel

The Hospitality Suite is located on the main floor (what suite). It's open to all accredited industry and is a great place to take a coffee break. A hot lunch is served daily but you've got to be there when it hits the tables because it is snapped up fast.

The Perspective Canada Office is located the second floor in the boardroom of the Sutton and will be open from 9:00 to 6:30 p.m. It's intended as a place for Canadian filmmakers to meet with press, buyers etc. but it's pretty much open to everyone. Claire Ross Dunn is the festival liaison for this office.

The Guest Office issues passes to invitees from this office located on the second floor in the Paris Suite. Everyone from directors, distributors, press drift in and out of offices at various times. June Weber is the guest office Coordinator.

Restaurants and Bars

If you staked out in Bistro 990 24-hours a day for the festival duration, you will probably see the entire festival's who's who. Bistro 990 is conveniently located across from the Sutton Hotel, 990 Bay Street. Cocktail parties are almost a daily occurance at Bistro 990.