Cinema central: Toronto film fest builds a nest

The Associated Press

September 08, 2008 by The Associated Press | Staff

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By DAVID GERMAIN
AP Movie Writer

TORONTO (AP) -- After decades as one of the world's leading cinema showcases, the Toronto International Film Festival finally is getting a home of its own.

The festival is about 18 months into the construction of Bell Lightbox, a five-story, 150,000-square-foot facility that will serve as headquarters for the annual event and its year-round offshoots.

"Probably what's commented upon most during the film festival is that there doesn't seem like there's a hub or central point where people can gather," said Noah Cowan, artistic director of Bell Lightbox. "A lot of the films that we run in the festival and a lot of the films we run all year long are provocative. They leave people with questions about themselves, about the world, about cinema, and so we want a place where they can sit and talk about that and they can even maybe act on their talking."

Expected to open in 2010 or 2011, Bell Lightbox will have five theaters ranging from 75 seats to 550 seats, a restaurant, a bar and space for exhibitions. It also will house offices for festival staff and offer a rooftop area open to the public.

The facility is being built on land provided by the family of filmmaker Ivan Reitman, whose father once owned a car wash on the site. The Reitmans also are part of a joint venture developing a 42-story condominium tower there.

Through government funds, corporate sponsorship and private donations, organizers have raised three-fourths of the facility's price tag of about $200 million.

The September festival will continue to screen films at theaters throughout the city, including the 2,000-seat Roy Thomson Hall, where it holds its marquee premieres.

The Toronto festival's 33rd edition opened Thursday and runs through Saturday, with a lineup of 312 feature-length and short films that include the Coen brothers' CIA romp "Burn After Reading," Edward Norton and Colin Farrell's police thriller "Pride and Glory," Keira Knightley's historical drama "The Duchess," and Ricky Gervais' romantic comedy "Ghost Town."

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On the Net:

Toronto International Film Festival: http://tiff08.ca

Bell Lightbox: http://www.belllightbox.ca

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