Rush line at AMC. (Jennifer Hollett/CBC)

By Jennifer Hollett, CBC News

I'm number 11.

Waiting in line is part of the experience. This is what I tell myself as I risk an hour of my time, in hopes of catching a movie this weekend at the festival. It's what separates the people who love movies from the people who merely like them. I am hard core.
 
But I'm not, at all. This is what everyone does, even the folks with TIFF badges around their necks. Sure you can buy TIFF tickets far in advance, but I personally don't know one person who does. Most of us go with the flow, which means getting in line and hoping there are some no-shows who free up empty seats. According to TIFF, only 30 per cent of screenings sell out. But from my experience, that 30 per cent is 100 per cent of the movies I want to see.
 
Rush isn't for the disorganized; it's for those who follow buzz. For example, 130 people showed up for the 9 a.m. screening of Beautiful. 80 got in, 50 were turned away. It's a gamble, which is part of the excitement. And if a film is listed as "off sale," there's a good chance it's going to be a good choice.
 
The line I'm in is for the movie Jucy. I don't know much about it, other than it's an Australian film with two girls who look cool, and it's sold out. My hairdresser Kevin, a film fest veteran, once told me to catch the foreign films at TIFF, because the blockbusters will end up in the theatres, whereas with the foreign flicks, you may never get to see them again.


Actor Francesca Gasteen, Director Louise Alston, and actor Cindy Nelson. (Jennifer Hollett/CBC)

This year at the AMC mega-theatre, the lines are very organized, and inside the movie food court. Popcorn, pizza, plantains anyone? Just two years ago, I was waiting in line at the same theatre, outside, in the rain. But it was for the people's choice selection, and it was well worth it. An unknown movie called Slumdog Millionaire.
 
You're allowed to save one spot in line for a friend, but tonight I'm on my own. Not for long, as I quickly make friends in line. Behind me is a woman from the Canadian Film Centre (good sign) equipped with the New Yorker to pass the time. And behind her, a young man from L.A. He tells me he randomly picked this line; he just wanted to make sure he caught the festival while he was in town.
 
We waited for about 45 minutes before we were told if there was room. Unlike waiting in line for a new roller-coaster or the Greyhound bus home, this went by quickly. Before I knew it, I was in the theatre enjoying a charming movie about "straight lesbians," inspired by the actors' actual lives.

What I liked most about the film is the same thing I like about the rush experience. It's real. While many in the city wait hours for a glimpse of the glitz on the red carpet, I prefer the risk of the rush line. This is really what the festival is all about. Trying to see the best movies in the world, even if you don't have a ticket.

You can follow Jennifer throughout #TIFF10 on Twitter at @jenniferhollett