In the summer of 2008, filmmaker Eric Geringas took his crew around Toronto's club district to capture the essence of the city's nightlife and investigated what makes Toronto's Entertainment District so popular, and so controversial.
Toronto's Entertainment District
What is now known as one of the hottest club districts in North America started out as Toronto's Garment District. Once filled with clothing factories and warehouses, the area eventually came to house the city's biggest clubs.
In 1988, the Garment District saw its first nightclub, Stilllife; through the late 1990s to the year 2000, over a hundred nightclubs opened – some more successful than others – and Toronto's Entertainment District was born. Today the area welcomes thousands of visitors nightly, and overcrowding and the reputed violence and drug consumption have created much controversy with the area's residents, as club goers and condo owners try to peacefully co-exist.
Eric Geringas' Clubland Documentary
Produced by Peter Gentile and directed by Eric Geringas (Cheating Death,) Clubland takes the audience on a whirlwind tour of Toronto's club scene. Viewers join the party as the filmmakers visit some of the city's hottest nightclubs (such as CiRCA and Ultra Lounge) and meet devoted clubbers, club owners, and promoters.
Fans of Keys to the VIP will be delighted. We meet some of the city's hottest club kids and promoters and get behind the velvet ropes – something that is never a certainty for the hundreds (and thousands!) who drive in from out of town in rented limos and buses, ready to party the night away.
For many, going out to clubs is a way to relax, let loose, and have fun with their friends. Others, like aspiring singer Tika Simone, come out to stay up to date with the music scene, and leave their mark on DJs and club owners. For club promoters like Massimo Grisafi, the area is more than just a way of life: it's a business.
"We have more clubs per capita than any other city in the world," claims Grisafi, in a scene from Clubland. His job? To think of creative ways to keep the masses entertained, and the clubs full.
Clubland Facts and Figures
- Toronto's Entertainment District is roughly 1.5 sq. kilometres in size.
- About 60 clubs and 25 bars are crammed into this area.
- More than 65 of those establishments were visited during the filming of Clubland.
- The movie was shot over a 24 day period.
- The shoot took place in August and September 2008.
- More than 50 hours of material were shot for the film, including over an hour of camera phone footage.
- A POV (point-of-view) head gear camera with digital video recorder was used to film dance floor scenes.
- More than 25 sources were interviewed for the film, including promoters, DJs, and club-goers.
The Future of Clubland
Clubland casts a dark shadow on our fair city, and shows a side of Toronto that many of us seldom see. The dramatic narration by Maurice Dean Wint, along with the shaky-cam cinematography and glimpses of an inebriated, scantily clad crowd, combine to create a dark vision – darker than our city's reality. This is far from an ad for Ontario Tourism.
Kids will always need a place to get together with their friends, meet new people, and party. Toronto's Entertainment District fulfills the needs of this younger generation. However, many local area residents are fighting to get the clubs shut down.
"This is a crazy spot to be at 3 o'clock in the morning," says Councillor Adam Vaughan, in a scene from Clubland. "It's no way to live. It's got to come to an end."
The film Clubland was shown at the 2009 Hot Docs Festival. Catch the television premiere this month on Global's Currents, or watch the trailer on YouTube.
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