TIFF Lightbox facts for kids
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Exterior of TIFF Lightbox from King Street, showing its former name TIFF Bell Lightbox
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| Established | 2009 |
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| Location | 350 King Street West Toronto, Ontario M5V 3X5 |
| Public transit access |
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TIFF Lightbox is a cool cultural spot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It's located right in the heart of the city, at the corner of King Street and John Street. This building is home to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
TIFF Lightbox has five movie theaters, two restaurants, and awesome art exhibits. You can also find a gift shop, a rooftop patio, and special learning rooms there. It's the main place for the Toronto International Film Festival. It also hosts other film screenings and smaller movie festivals all year long.
This place was once called the TIFF Bell Lightbox. That name changed in 2023 when its partnership with Bell Canada ended.
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A Look Back: How TIFF Lightbox Started
TIFF Lightbox first opened its doors in 2010. The land for the building was given by the Reitman family, including Ivan Reitman. This new venue took the place of Jackman Hall at the Art Gallery of Ontario. It became the main movie screening spot for Cinematheque Ontario.
During its construction, workers found old items from York General Hospital. This hospital used to be on the same spot back in 1829. TIFF Lightbox was built as a cinema complex. It also included the offices for the Toronto International Film Festival. A restaurant on the ground floor and a rooftop patio were also part of the design. The whole building is a five-story structure. It forms the base of a taller building called Festival Tower.
During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, TIFF started something new. They launched the Digital TIFF Lightbox. This was an online streaming platform. It was the main way to watch movies for the online 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. It also worked as a place to rent movies that were like the ones shown at the Lightbox.
In November 2022, TIFF announced a special change. Cinema 1, which is the biggest movie room at the Lightbox, was renamed. It became the Viola Desmond Theatre in 2023.
What's Inside: Exploring the Facility
| Festival Tower | |
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| General information | |
| Type | Theatre, Residential, Retail |
| Location | Corner of King Street & John Street Toronto, Ontario |
| Completed | September 12, 2010 |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 157 m (515 ft) |
| Roof | 152 m (499 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 46 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Bruce Kuwabara of KPMB Architects |
| Developer | Toronto International Film Festival Group Daniels Corporation & the Reitman Family |
| Main contractor | PCL Constructors Canada |
TIFF Lightbox is located in the lower part of the building. This part is a five-story complex. It forms the base of the Lightbox and Festival Tower. The entrance for the tall 46-story condo tower is on John Street. It is set back from the smaller 19th-century buildings on King Street.
The Main Building: The Podium
This part of the building is the new home for the Toronto International Film Festival. It has five movie theaters of different sizes. There's also a three-story public area. You can find two galleries and three learning studios. It has a center for students and researchers. There's also a bistro, a restaurant, a lounge, and a gift shop. Don't forget the rooftop patio! The five-screen cinema complex also includes a film reference library. It has galleries and workshops too.
The theaters show special movie programs. They also show some new movies. Some films are connected to art shows or special events about actors or filmmakers. The large film library and archives are open to everyone. They have books and old movies. You can also find space for research and study there. The main building has been used by the Toronto International Film Festival since 2010. Other events held here include the Inside Out Film and Video Festival. The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival also takes place here.
Since 2010, TIFF Lightbox has been the festival's permanent home. It moved from Yorkville to King West. There are plans for a "Cinema Tower" on the north side of the block. This tower will have five more theaters. Other important places for the festival are also in this area. These include Roy Thomson Hall and the Scotiabank Theatre.
The whole complex officially opened on September 12, 2010. It started with a big block party. Trigger by Bruce McDonald was the first movie shown there.
Art and Film: The Galleries
The galleries at TIFF Lightbox host exhibitions. These shows are about film and art history. The gallery on the fourth floor is free for everyone to visit. The bigger main gallery on the first floor has larger shows. You usually need a ticket for these. The very first exhibition was about Tim Burton from the MoMA. Later shows have featured famous artists and films. These include Federico Fellini, Grace Kelly, James Bond, David Cronenberg, Stanley Kubrick, and Andy Warhol.
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TIFF Lightbox Lobby
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TIFF Lightbox Lounge
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TIFF Lightbox projectionist booth
The Tall Building: Festival Tower
Festival Tower was built by The Daniels Corporation. It was designed by architects from Toronto. These were Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB) and Kirkor Architects. TIFF Lightbox is the home of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Festival Tower itself has homes called condominiums. This project was a team effort. It was created by the Toronto International Film Festival Group and the King and John Festival Corporation.
Supporting TIFF Lightbox
TIFF is a group that doesn't aim to make a profit. It brings in about $189 million CAD to the economy each year. TIFF Lightbox gets help from many supporters. Major sponsors include Royal Bank of Canada and Visa. The Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada also help. The City of Toronto, the Reitman family (including Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), and The Daniels Corporation also provide support.
See also
- List of tallest buildings in Toronto
- List of tallest buildings in Canada
- VIFF Centre (formerly the Vancouver International Film Centre)
