Toronto International Film Festival
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King Street West during the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival
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| Location | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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| Founded | 1976 |
| Awards | People's Choice Award |
| Language | International |
The Toronto International Film Festival (often called TIFF) is one of the biggest and most famous film festivals in the world. It started in 1976 and happens every year in early September. TIFF is more than just a festival; it also has a special place called TIFF Lightbox in downtown Toronto where people can enjoy movies all year long.
One of TIFF's most important prizes is the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award. This award is special because the audience votes for their favorite film. Many movies that win this award later go on to win Academy Awards (the Oscars!). Some famous winners include Slumdog Millionaire (2008), The King's Speech (2010), La La Land (2016), Green Book (2018), and American Fiction (2023).
The festival usually runs for eleven days, starting on the Thursday after Labour Day in September. The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival happened from September 5 to 15, 2024. The 2025 Toronto International Film Festival happened from September 4 to 14, 2025.
Since 2022, Cameron Bailey has been the main leader (CEO) of the festival.
Contents
Discovering the Toronto Film Festival
How the Toronto Film Festival Started
TIFF first began in 1976 as the Toronto Festival of Festivals. Its idea was to gather the best movies from other film festivals worldwide. Then, it would show them to excited audiences in Toronto. Three people, Bill Marshall, Dusty Cohl, and Henk Van der Kolk, started the festival. In its first year, 35,000 people watched 127 films from 30 different countries.
Over the years, many people helped lead TIFF. Cameron Bailey, who is now the CEO, also served as the artistic director for many years.
TIFF used to be mainly in the Yorkville area. Now, it's more focused on the Toronto Entertainment District. The festival brings a lot of excitement and famous people to the city. News reporters and photographers often gather to interview movie stars.
In 2010, TIFF opened its own special building called TIFF Lightbox. This building is a home for movies all year long. While many films are shown at the Lightbox, other cinemas like the Scotiabank Theatre Toronto also host screenings during the festival.
Growing with New Programs
TIFF has added many exciting programs over time. The TIFF Cinematheque and the Film Reference Library opened in 1990. These places help people learn about and enjoy classic films.
The TIFF Kids International Film Festival started in 1998. It shows movies especially for children and teenagers. The Film Circuit program also helps bring independent and Canadian films to smaller cities across Canada.
The TIFF Film Circuit works with local groups in other Canadian cities. They show films that were first seen at the main TIFF festival.
In May 2024, TIFF shared plans to start a full film market in 2026. This market will help filmmakers find buyers for their movies.
TIFF's Journey Through Time
TIFF's Early Years
TIFF began in 1976. It was started by Bill Marshall, Henk Van der Kolk, and Dusty Cohl. The first festival showed many great films from around the world. About 35,000 people came to watch them. At first, some Hollywood studios were unsure about showing their movies in Toronto.
In 1978, the festival started using the name "Toronto International Film Festival." It also moved to a new location. More special events, called galas, were added. The Canadian Film Awards also became part of the festival.
By 1994, the festival was officially known only as the Toronto International Film Festival. The group that runs TIFF also changed its name to simply TIFF in 2009.
For many years, TIFF had special programs just for Canadian films. These included "Canada First!" for new filmmakers and "Short Cuts Canada" for short films. Since 2015, Canadian films are shown alongside movies from all over the world in different festival programs.
In 2004, a comedy movie called Jiminy Glick in Lalawood, starring Martin Short, even used TIFF as a setting for its story!
TIFF also brings a lot of money to Toronto. In 2007, it was estimated to bring in $67 million CAD each year. By 2011, this amount grew to $170 million CAD.
In 2016, TIFF showed 397 films from 83 countries. About 480,000 people came to watch them. Over 5,000 of these were people who work in the film industry.
In 2017, the festival showed fewer films, with 255 feature-length movies. They also used fewer screening locations that year.
In 2019, a change happened at the Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, a main festival cinema. Movies from online streaming services like Amazon Video and Netflix were not shown there.
The 2020 festival was special because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It offered both in-person and online movie showings. At first, masks were optional for in-person screenings. However, due to health concerns, TIFF quickly changed this. Masks became mandatory to keep everyone safe.
The 2020 festival also started "Industry Selects." This was a way for filmmakers to find companies to distribute their movies. This program became a permanent part of TIFF in 2022. It is now a key part of TIFF's plan to launch a full film market in 2026.
Famous Movies Premiering at TIFF
Many well-known films have premiered at TIFF. These include American Beauty, Ray, Black Swan, and The Fabelmans. Jamie Foxx won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Ray. Slumdog Millionaire won eight Oscars after its TIFF premiere.
Precious and The King's Speech also won the TIFF People's Choice Award before winning multiple Oscars. Silver Linings Playbook won the People's Choice Award, and Jennifer Lawrence won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role.
Many Hollywood studios choose to show their new films at TIFF. This is because the festival is known for being friendly and less competitive than some European festivals. It also costs less and has enthusiastic audiences.
Exploring TIFF Lightbox
In 2007, TIFF began building TIFF Lightbox. This new building is located in downtown Toronto. It was supported by Bell Canada and the Canadian government.
TIFF Lightbox opened in 2010. It has five cinemas, two art galleries, and a large film library. It also has study areas and a research center. There are also shops and restaurants inside. A tall apartment building, called the Festival Tower, sits on top of the Lightbox.
The first movie shown there was Trigger. The first art show featured the work of director Tim Burton. Other exhibitions have celebrated famous artists like Fellini, Grace Kelly, James Bond, and Stanley Kubrick.
The Film Reference Library (FRL) is a huge collection of Canadian film information. It's a free place for anyone who loves movies, including students and journalists. The library helps people learn about films by collecting movies, books, scripts, and special collections.
In 2016, the festival received a donation of 1,400 film prints. They started a campaign to raise money to protect and store these films.
Canada's Top Ten Films
Every year, TIFF announces a list called Canada's Top Ten. This list features the ten best Canadian feature films and short films of the year. Experts from across Canada vote for these films.
These winning films are then shown at the Lightbox throughout the year. This allows more people to see and enjoy them.
Every ten years, TIFF also creates a list of the Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time. This list is chosen by a wider group of film experts and teachers from Canada.
Awards and Recognition at TIFF
The People's Choice Awards
The festival's main award is the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award. This award goes to a feature-length film. It's special because the audience votes for their favorite movie. Many winners of this award have later been nominated for Academy Awards.
There are also People's Choice Awards for Documentary films and Midnight Madness films. These awards also name a first and second runner-up.
Other Special Awards
TIFF also gives out awards chosen by juries (groups of experts). There are three main awards for Canadian films: Best Canadian Film, Best Canadian First Feature Film (for new directors), and Best Canadian Short Film.
Other awards include Best International Short Film. There are also two FIPRESCI awards from international critics. The NETPAC Prize is given to the best film from Asia that premieres at the festival.
In 2015, TIFF started the Platform program. This program celebrates films from around the world that don't yet have distributors in North America. A special jury chooses one film to win the C$25,000 Platform Prize.
In 2019, the festival introduced the TIFF Tribute Awards. These are special ceremonies that honor famous actors and filmmakers for their amazing careers.
In May 2025, TIFF announced a new award for international feature-length films. This award will be given out at the festival in September.
Exploring Film Sections at TIFF
The many films shown at TIFF are organized into different groups called "Programmes." These groups are based on the type of film, like documentary or short films. They can also be based on the filmmaker's experience. Since 2015, Canadian films are shown in these groups alongside international films.
Here are some of the 14 sections at the festival:
- Centrepiece: These are story-based movies by well-known directors.
- Discovery: This section features films that are usually a director's first or second movie.
- Gala Presentations: These are big, important movies, often with international movie stars. They usually have a red carpet event.
- In Conversation With...: This section includes interviews with directors or other film industry figures. Short clips from their films are often shown.
- Masters: These are films by "the world's most influential art-house filmmakers."
- Midnight Madness: This section shows exciting genre films late at night.
- Platform: Started in 2015, this is a competitive section for films from around the world. A special jury gives out the C$25,000 Platform Prize.
- Primetime: This section shows television episodes on the big screen, often for the first time.
- Short Cuts: This section features both Canadian and international short films.
- Special Presentations: These are important feature films, often showing for the first time in Canada or the world.
- TIFF Cinematheque: Unlike other sections, this one shows films from all eras of cinema. It often includes classic films that have been newly restored.
- TIFF Docs: This section is dedicated to documentary films.
- TIFF Kids and TIFF Next Wave: These are films for children and teenagers. They are special labels added to films already in other programs. TIFF also has separate festivals for kids and teens in the spring.
- Wavelengths: This section shows experimental films and art films, both long and short.
TIFF's Global Recognition
The BBC has called TIFF one of the largest and most respected film events in the world. In 1998, Variety magazine said that TIFF was "second only to Cannes" for important movies, stars, and business. In 2007, Time magazine noted that TIFF had become "the most influential film festival, period."
In 2016, TIFF welcomed 1,800 members of the press. Major newspapers like the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, and The New York Times covered the festival. Important film industry magazines like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter also publish daily editions during TIFF. News about TIFF also appears in many other magazines, TV shows, and online blogs.
Images for kids
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King Street West pedestrianized for the opening of the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival
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Toronto International Film Festival logo
See also
In Spanish: Festival Internacional de Cine de Toronto para niños
