The people have spoken about the people's film festival.

Before they raised their collective voice this week, Piers Handling questioned if there was "a groundswell" of unrest among patrons of the Toronto International Film Festival, for which he serves as director-CEO.

Sorry, Piers.

It is a tsunami, not just a groundswell.

One week ago today, I wrote a column accusing the beloved, often magnificent, 33-year-old filmfest of becoming "an elitist corporate spectacle" that no longer could be called "the people's festival."

It was painful to write.

I love the festival.

I work for a newspaper that, from day one, championed it with unbridled joy, embracing the potential of the Festival of Festivals (its original name) to become the most significant event on Toronto's cultural calendar.

That was thanks, in part, to the passion and vision of original Toronto Sun entertainment editor-columnist George Anthony. Since then, we ink-stained wretches at Sun Media have been friends of the festival.

But friends tell friends the truth, even when it hurts.

Since last Saturday, Sun readers have emailed me with tales of woe, citing ticket traumas and frustration with some TIFF staff and/or volunteers who they feel treated them rudely.

Almost all felt shunted aside for the corporate elite and well-heeled donors who are now allowed to go to the head of the line.

For a sampling of their concerns, turn the next page.

The unrest spread wider as the week progressed.

Bloggers took up the cause.

I heard from the working stiffs at almost every media outlet in the city, all in agreement, citing their own unique frustrations as the links between the people and the festival.

Media from other Canadian and American cities joined in, too.

To my surprise, so did Canadian film industry folks, including actors, directors, producers and distributors. Even American movie star Tim Robbins, no stranger to raising hell for a good cause, told Sun Media, "This could be a healthy thing."

So we continue the debate.

After considering everything I heard this week, here are seven suggestions for making the Toronto International Film Festival the People's Festival again:

Ticket traumas

Simplify, streamline and humanize the ticket system.

Nothing drives fest-goers crazier than the current over-complicated situation that intimidates some and infuriates others, especially when there are computer-system crashes.

Here are three specific suggestions with regard to ticketing:

- Minimize lineups and communicate better to those in line.

- Make the ticket lottery democratic again. This was the first year donors got first rights to get their requests filled before the masses. Find another way to reward them. This is not the ballet or the opera or another elite cultural niche where everyone accepts that donors get preferential treatment.

- Think about holding back a block of tickets for EVERY screening and selling them, first-come, first-serve, to people at the head of rush lines.

That way, some hardcore crazies would be guaranteed entrance, rekindling festival fever.

And, perhaps even more importantly, TIFF could once and for all kill the widespread perception among non-fest-goers in this city that it's impossible to get into a TIFF screening.

Donor damage

Don't let donors dictate to the festival on access to tickets. As much as possible, make the ticket lottery democratic, with no preference to donors. Reward them all for their generosity with private events just for them.

Tame the corporate beast

Yes, all arts groups desperately need sponsors, just as they need donors.

With the festival budget rising because of inflation, and government funding dropping, corporate support helps keep cultural events in this country alive.

So do donors.

It is a question of balancing their needs with those of the core audience. Don't become the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre, where hardcore fans are on the fringes.

At TIFF, corporate branding should be held at arm's length.

Corporate control of and presence at events, especially galas, should be minimized. At galas, also stop begging for money for your own brand, the Bell Lightbox (still $49 million short in the fund-raising campaign).

Time and place and good taste.

And stop thanking sponsors, irritating those who don't sit in their reserved cheerleading sections.

Fest officials are studying if they should follow the lead of the Sundance indie film festival, where a looped reel of sponsor promos plays to music while the audience comes in. When the event begins, no one has to re-thank sponsors. Great idea.

Hold on, Hollywood

Stop Hollywood from trying to own the festival.

While the filmfest needs, or at least wants celebrity buzz, the festival should not allow itself to be held hostage by studios. It is Toronto's festival: Take it back and better partner up with the Canadian film biz, some of which feels marginalized.

Media access

Open it up! If Toronto wants to maintain its reputation as the people's festival, then press conferences and red carpets, for example, should belong to all.

They should not be treated as products for sale to the highest (in some cases, American) bidder. Indeed, don't sell exclusive rights to media access.

Currently, the U.S. photo agency WireImage has better red-carpet rights than Canadian media, who are annoyed.

Let everybody broadcast (and webcast) fest press conferences -- and hold more of them, making them mandatory for galas and special presentations.

Also, help Canadian media wrestle the festival publicity machine back from those Americans who mistake Canada for a colony.

The media are the people's voice.

Keep seeking younger audiences

The average age of the core fest audience is maturing. One of new co-director Cameron Bailey's goals in introducing free events at Yonge-Dundas Square was simple: Lure in a younger, hipper, downtown crowd with movie-related music events and free screenings. When the festival moves to its new downtown home at King and John Streets, TIFF wants youth to patronize the Bell Lightbox.

TIFF should make the free Yonge-Dundas screenings sexier, matching the quality of the music events or the appearance of NBA star LeBron James. Most of the on-screen docs this year are already on DVD. Try screening a high-profile, hot new film.

Volunteers

Let's be clear. Most TIFF staff and their hard-working volunteers are terrific. But public complaints about rudeness are common enough this year to indicate weak links. So put in a plan to better monitor TIFF staff and volunteers at the pressure points -- namely, lineups for tickets and at screenings.

None of these suggestions is easy to implement. I feel strongly that they will work.

Are they the only good ideas?

Of course not.

To that end, if you have suggestions, send them to me at my email address below, and I will forward them to the fest.

Piers Handling said he would "rethink it" if there was a groundswell. Now he knows the people are angry. Help him rethink with specific advice.