TIFF Bell Lightbox To Open Its Doors On September 12, 2021

TIFF’s new year-round home to showcase the best in Canadian, international and independent cinema 365 days a year

CANNES, FRANCE --- Piers Handling, Director and CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) announced today that TIFF Bell Lightbox will open its doors to the public on September 12, 2010. Handling made the announcement today at an event celebrating Canadian filmmakers, hosted by TIFF and the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC).

“TIFF Bell Lightbox is a permanent home for cinema lovers from around the world,” said Handling. “We have spent a decade working on this project and its opening marks a new step in the evolution of TIFF. Audiences visiting our new home and experiencing our wide range of programming will see that we are so much more than a 10-day event in September.”

Designed by world-renowned Toronto-based architecture firm Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB), TIFF Bell Lightbox is soon to be the world’s leading destination for film lovers. Five public cinemas, ranging from 550- to 80-seat theatres, are expressed as distinct architectural volumes – each a box within a box. TIFF Bell Lightbox also includes a three-storey atrium, two galleries, three learning studios, a centre for students and scholars, the staff offices of TIFF, a bistro, a restaurant and a lounge.

While the number of cinemas that will be fully operational during this year’s Festival is still to be determined, festival audiences will still have the opportunity to attend screenings in TIFF Bell Lightbox.

TIFF’s programming in TIFF Bell Lightbox will give context to films through innovative cross-media exhibitions, lectures, and film-related learning opportunities for all ages. The year-round programming in TIFF Bell Lightbox is being driven by Noah Cowan, Artistic Director, TIFF Bell Lightbox and his programming team. To date, two significant programming initiatives have been announced for 2010: Essential Cinema, a TIFF-curated film and exhibition programme, and Tim Burton, the highly successful MoMA exhibit. Backgrounders on both programmes are attached.

“Exciting film programming, world-class exhibitions and gallery shows will be presented every day of the year to audiences, and a wide range of educational activities will allow our audiences to fully explore their passion for film. Our doors are now open to the amazing riches of the cinema on a year-round basis and we look forward to curating experiences, not just films,” Handling added.

About TIFF Bell Lightbox:

Currently under construction, TIFF Bell Lightbox, a breathtaking five-storey complex located in downtown Toronto, will provide a permanent home for film lovers to celebrate cinema from around the world and will propel TIFF forward as an international leader in film culture. Designed by innovative architecture firm KPMB, TIFF Bell Lightbox’s fluid structure encourages exploration, movement and play. The campaign to build TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by founding sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the King and John Festival Corporation - consisting of the Reitman family and the Daniels Corporation – RBC as major sponsor and official bank, Visa†, the Copyright Collective of Canada, the Slaight Family Foundation, NBC Universal Canada, the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, the Harbinger Foundation, CIBC and BMO. The Board of Directors, staff and many generous individuals and corporations have also contributed to the campaign. For more information on the TIFF Bell Lightbox campaign, visit belllightbox.ca


About TIFF:
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. Its vision is to lead the world in creative and cultural discovery through the moving image. TIFF generates an annual economic impact of $135 million CAD and currently employs more than 100 full-time staff and 500 part-time and seasonal staff, and counts upon the largesse of over 2,000 volunteers year-round.

TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by Founding Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC and Blackberry, the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada and the City of Toronto.

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