TORONTO 9 - 19 Sep 2010 35th Toronto International Film Festival opens in new headquarters

The 35th Toronto International Film Festival, the event regarded as the starting gun for the Oscars race six months later, will be held in new, swanky permanent headquarters. The TIFF Bell Lightbox, in downtown Toronto, will have five cinemas, 1300 cinema seats, two galleries, three studios, a three-storey public atrium, a center for film students and scholars, staff offices and a restaurant, and a lounge. At previous festivals, the films were screened at theatres spread over the downtown. Director Tim Burton's works will be among the opening exhibits at TIFF's new home.

The grand opening will also feature an exhibit of iconic objects from acclaimed films throughout history and screenings of some of the most famous films ever made. The  organizers say the Burton exhibit was organized New York's Museum of Modern Art and includes more than 700 items.

There will be an open house for the public on Sep 12, and a full day of public screenings of the best of the festival on the final Sunday.

The festival traditionally opens with a Canadian film. The films from some 55 countries include many first seen at Cannes, Berlin and other international festivals. Hollywood typically uses the festival to create "Oscar buzz" for its new films ahead of the Academy Awards in the following year. The selection is usually announced mid year.

Between 300-400 films are screened. Annual attendance at TIFF exceeds 300,000 from public and industry audiences, with some 1000 international media.

Founded in 1976, the TIFF is now among the top film festivals in the world. American film critic Roger Ebert, quoted by Canada's National Post in 1999, described it as "the premiere film festival in North America, from which the Oscars race begins."
(Written May/2010)

RELATED READING:
Toronto International Film Festival
http://tiff.net/
Tim Burton exhibit to mark opening of TIFF's home (CTV/Canadian Press 14 May 2010)
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100514/tiff-lightbox-tim-burton-100514/20100514/?hub=TorontoNewHome