Film Circuit Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary With TIFF

Toronto – TIFF is thrilled to announce that our immensely successful outreach programme, Film Circuit, is celebrating 15 years with the organization. Beginning in 1989 as a small offshoot of Cinéfest (the Sudbury International Film Festival), Film Circuit joined TIFF in 1995 with 16 screening groups and has expanded over the years to over 200 groups in 169 communities across the country.

“Film Circuit has become an integral part of the Canadian film industry, as it has created new markets for homegrown films. The celebration of the programme’s 15th anniversary indicates that it has been wholeheartedly embraced by communities across the country,” said Karen Black, Director of Canadian Initiatives at TIFF. “Film Circuit’s growth can be attributed to the loyalty of audiences who love watching quality films that they cannot access at the local multiplex. We look forward to seeing the programme continue to thrive in the coming years.”

Leonard Farlinger and Jennifer Jonas, director and producer, respectively, of All Hat (2007), said, “Film Circuit proves that there is a large, enthusiastic Canadian audience for Canadian and other independent world cinema all across the country. Our film All Hat enjoyed the hospitality and dedicated audiences of the Film Circuit – we loved every screening event that we were able to attend and especially loved meeting and talking with the actual viewers at these events. Their love of cinema routinely provided the best questionand- answer sessions ever, and makes the hard work of filmmaking worthwhile.”

Matt Bissonnette, director of Who Loves the Sun (2006) and Passenger Side (2009), which is screening at this year’s Festival, said, “Film Circuit has been instrumental in getting my films out to a wider audience, and it’s also lots of fun. I can’t say enough good things about the Circuit.”

Jennifer Baichwal, director of the documentary films Manufactured Landscapes (2006) and Act of God (2009), commented, “Film Circuit is a crucial part of our independent film community, and a great enricher of our cultural community in general. Its hard work has brought Canadian films to Canadian audiences everywhere; its success has unequivocally demonstrated that people all over the country, urban and rural, have a passion for the films of their own.”

Film Circuit operates through grassroots distribution, marketing and exhibition. The success of the programme is entirely dependent on strong community partnerships with local volunteers who present and market the screenings to their community. Working with more than 1,500 volunteers, Film Circuit has generated over $2.2 million in new direct revenues for Canadian distributors and exhibitors that would otherwise not have existed. Last year, nearly 350,000 filmgoers attended Film Circuit screenings across Canada. Film Circuit’s top five films of 2008 based on attendance were The Kite Runner, Amal, The Visitor, Emotional Arithmetic and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

Visit filmcircuit.ca for more information.

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: 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 Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, 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, NBC Universal Canada, the Allan Slaight Family, the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and CIBC. 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.

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For further information contact Tanya Koivusalo at 416-934-3286 or email tkoivusalo@tiff.net