Toronto International Film Festival Group Announces Senior Promotions
12/19/2007
- Toronto International Film Festival Group
Toronto - Piers Handling announced today two senior promotions at the Toronto International Film Festival Group (TIFFG). Effective January 1, 2008 Noah Cowan is promoted to Artistic Director, Bell Lightbox and will be responsible for the creative content and visioning of the multi-million dollar landmark destination, currently under construction. Cameron Bailey assumes the position of Co- Director, Toronto International Film Festival. Handling also announced that Jim Hamilton, who over the last two years helped design and conceive the programming philosophy of Bell Lightbox, has decided to return to the United Kingdom.
Cowan, a senior member of the artistic team at TIFFG, has served the past four years as Co- Director of TIFF and has enjoyed a 23 year relationship with the organization. He has played a significant role in the development of the Bell Lightbox programming plans to date. Cowan will retain a select programming and advisory role at TIFF, mentoring Bailey through his first year.
“Bell Lightbox will be the world’s leading year-round facility celebrating film and the moving image.” said Piers Handling, CEO & Director of TIFFG. “This key international strategic and artistic initiative is ready for the bold leadership that we know Noah can provide. His personal passion for the project is sure to inspire audiences here in Toronto and around the world.”
"Bell Lightbox is the most exciting cultural project to come along for some time", said Cowan. "I've been inspired by the plans to date for this new institution -- it has convinced me that the future of film curation lies in its intersection with other media, other art forms and new audiences. This is the promise of Bell Lightbox and I am thrilled to lead the creative charge forward to make it a reality."
For 12 years, Cameron Bailey has been a programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival, where he founded the Planet Africa section and headed the Perspective Canada series. Most recently he has been responsible for the annual selection of films from Africa, south Asia and the Philippines. He has also taken on several additional TIFFG tasks including hosting Reel Talk, participating in long term planning and the naming process of Bell Lightbox. Bailey is an accomplished writer, print and broadcast journalist and has been a guest curator for festivals around the world. Effective January 1, 2008, Bailey assumes responsibility for the overall programming and operations of the September event, along with Co-Director Handling.
“Cameron has been an important member of our programming team and has established superb credentials as a strong curator,” said Handling, “Noah and I look forward to working with him to assure the continued success of the film festival.”
“Jim Hamilton has played a major role in the design of Bell Lightbox over the past two years”, stated Handling. “He was instrumental in the development of the project to date – design completed and construction started -- and we are proud of his accomplishments. I wish him well on his return home.”
Construction of Bell Lightbox, a landmark destination for the moving image and headquarters for TIFFG, began on February 1, 2007. It is a five-storey podium building located in the heart of the Toronto’s downtown entertainment district. Bell Lightbox is designed by world renowned Torontobased architectural firm KPMB and contains five cinemas, two galleries, three learning studios, a reference library and archive, and a retail store.
TIFFG’s capital project to build Bell Lightbox is generously supported by founding sponsor Bell, the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario who have each contributed $25 million. The King and John Festival Corporation comprised of The Daniels Corporation and Ivan Reitman, his sisters Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels have donated a gift of more than $22 million. As well, numerous other individuals and corporations including, but not limited to, CIBC, The Copyright Collective of Canada, NBC Universal Canada, VISA, Allan Slaight and family, Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, the TIFFG Board of Directors and our staff have contributed to the Bell Lightbox campaign. Total raised to date is $137 million, two thirds of the total campaign of the $196 million.
About TIFFG
The Toronto International Film Festival Group (TIFFG) is a charitable, not-for-profit, cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world. Its vision is to lead the world in creative and cultural discovery through the moving image.
The Group embodies a passion for film and a commitment to making a difference in people’s lives. With an annual budget of $18 million, the Group has grown exponentially from its roots as a modest ‘Festival of Festivals’, expanding its breadth across the globe and reaching audiences of 900,000 per year. Currently, the Group employs more than 130 full-time staff, 500 part-time and seasonal staff, and counts upon the largesse of 1,700 volunteers year-round.
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For information please contact:
Marie Nazar - Manager, Corporate Communications 416-934-3296 or mnazar@tiffg.ca
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