By: Sahra Mohamed
My first day covering the Toronto International Film Festival began at TIFF Lightbox, where I was invited to attend the first Variety x YouTube Creator Festival. The afternoon included a screening of two new episodes of “You’d Be an Iconic Guest,” featuring Wanda Sykes and Hasan Piker, followed by a Q&A with Ziwe and Variety’s Matt Donnelly. Later that evening, I was invited to the after party, where she made an appearance. It was an exciting introduction to TIFF and, for me, an opportunity to experience a different side of the festival, one that brings together film, television, comedy and the growing world of online entertainment.
Known for her satirical interviews that can be playful and uncomfortable, Ziwe has built a style that leaves plenty of room for the unexpected. Her questions can be direct, her reactions are in the moment, and her guests never quite know where the conversation may go next. That approach was at the centre of the Q&A following the screening. The conversation touched on her career, her approach to interviewing and the freedom that comes with creating for YouTube. Having control over what she makes and how it reaches an audience has become an important part of her work, allowing her to create without relying solely on the traditional television process.
Audience interaction has also found its way into the interviews themselves. One example involved Image Architect, Law Roach. A viewer left a comment on Ziwe’s social media, suggesting that she touches his hair, and she followed through during the interview. What began as a comment became a hilarious viral moment during her interview with Law, a small example of the way audiences can influence what happens on screen.
The discussion also turned to confrontation and what happens when an interview takes an unexpected direction. One interview on her show ended after only three questions, a reminder that even when an interviewer has prepared carefully, the person sitting across from them ultimately determines how the conversation unfolds. That unpredictability is part of the appeal. The strongest interview moments are not always the ones that can be planned in advance. As someone who works in entertainment journalism, I found that especially interesting. There is preparation behind every interview, but once the conversation begins, there is another element that cannot be scripted: the chemistry between two people in the room and the reactions that follow. It was one of the moments from the afternoon that stayed with me and offered a closer look at the thinking behind her interview style.
After the screening and Q&A, the evening continued at the after-party. The atmosphere was more relaxed, with YouTube executives, filmmakers, journalists and others from across the entertainment industry coming together to celebrate the event. For Special Sense Magazine, this was the beginning of my festival coverage. Being there in person offered a chance to experience TIFF not only through the films being presented, but through the conversations, events and people surrounding them.
The Variety x YouTube Creator Festival was an interesting way to begin that coverage. Bringing a YouTube series into TIFF Lightbox highlighted how entertainment audiences are discovering and following talent across television, film and digital media. For me, the afternoon was about more than watching two new episodes. It was about hearing an interviewer discuss the choices behind her work, seeing how an audience can become part of the conversation and experiencing one of TIFF’s many events firsthand. From the screening to the Q&A and later the after party, it was a memorable way to begin TIFF 2026.
And it was only day one.
By: Sahra Mohamed
Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Special Sense Magazine
