TIFF celebrates significant milestones for Bell Lightbox

$10 million capital investment made by the Province of Ontario, final concrete pour of the building and inaugural Bell Lightbox programming lineup announced

Toronto – The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) today celebrated three significant milestones as the organization gets closer to completion of its new permanent home, Bell Lightbox.

Joined by Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF; the Honourable George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and the Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture for the Province of Ontario announced a $10 million capital investment in Bell Lightbox, signaling the Province’s ongoing support for the cultural sector and film industry in Toronto.

”We are very pleased to receive this investment from the Province of Ontario that clearly demonstrates strong support and recognition of the tremendous cultural impact TIFF will generate with a permanent home,” said Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF. “Bell Lightbox will allow TIFF to cement its reputation as a global leader in the discovery and understanding of film and today's announcement brings us to 80% of our fundraising goal.”

“TIFF is a great symbol for the success of Ontario’s cultural industries,” said Minister Carroll. “Supporting the completion of Bell Lightbox not only gives TIFF a permanent home; it will also help generate economic growth in this sector for years to come.”

“The Toronto International Film Festival is a cultural and economic jewel for Toronto and Ontario,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. “By investing a further $10 million we are helping to make sure that TIFF continues to thrive.”

Guests also participated in the final concrete pour for the building, marking an important milestone in the construction process. The project is on time and on budget with an opening date in 2010 still to be determined. The Bell Lightbox property, located at the corner of King and John streets, is codeveloped and a generous gift from the King and John Festival Corporation (KJFC) comprised of The Reitman family – acclaimed filmmaker Ivan Reitman and his sisters Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels – and The Daniels Corporation.

“KJFC is extremely proud to share this significant milestone with TIFF in the creation of their new home, Bell Lightbox,” said Tom Dutton, Senior Vice President, The Daniels Corporation. “The completion of the concrete structure for Bell Lightbox represents is an exciting time in the life of this project. We look forward to the completion of the interior work so that Bell Lightbox can be operational next year.”

Completing the celebrations, Noah Cowan, Artistic Director of Bell Lightbox revealed highlights of the inaugural Bell Lightbox programming lineup including: The Essential 100, The Rob Brooks Mary Pickford Collection and Tim Burton, a major exhibit on the artistry of filmmaker Tim Burton. A separate press release is enclosed.

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.

About Bell Lightbox

Bell Lightbox, a breathtaking five-storey complex located in downtown Toronto will provide a permanent home for film lovers celebrating cinema from around the world and will propel TIFF forward as an international leader in film culture. Designed by innovative architecture firm KPMB, Bell Lightbox’s fluid design encourages exploration, movement and play.

The campaign to build 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 – acclaimed filmmaker Ivan Reitman and his sisters Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels – and The Daniels Corporation, RBC as Major Sponsor and Official Bank, Visa, 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 Bell Lightbox campaign, visit belllightbox.ca.