BILL HADER, ASIF KAPADIA, JIA ZHANG-KE, GIGI PRITZKER AND NICOLAS CHARTIER JOIN TIFF INDUSTRY CONFERENCE AT THE 2015 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TORONTO ─

TIFF unveiled today special guests confirmed for the 2015 TIFF Industry Conference. The seven-day conference will feature 200 speakers and will include intimate conversations with industry powerhouse Gigi Pritzker and financing mogul Nicolas Chartier, and an Asian Film Summit Master Class with acclaimed filmmaker Jia Zhangke. Actor, writer and producer Bill Hader and award-winning director Asif Kapadia will present at the Doc Conference. “We’re excited about the participation of these vanguards of the film industry in this year’s programming,” said Kathleen Drumm, Director, TIFF Industry Office. “By providing the opportunity for a global audience to gain the valuable insights of 200 leaders in the industry, we look to inspire innovation and bridge the connection between the art and business of content.” From September 11 to 17, TIFF Industry Conference will present the following essential topics:  Friday, September 11 – Creative Process  Saturday, September 12 – Financing and Co-Production  Sunday, September 13 – Marketing  Monday, September 14 – Distribution and Sales  Tuesday, September 15 – Asian Film Summit  Wednesday, September 16 – Doc Conference  Thursday, September 17 – Future of Content TIFF Industry Conference Running from September 11 to 17, the Festival’s Industry Conference is an incomparable professional development opportunity for registered delegates. The Conference will focus on a wide array of essential topics, from the creative process, financing and co-production, to marketing, distribution and the future of content. In addition to Gigi Pritzker (OddLot Entertainment) and Nicolas Chartier (Voltage Pictures), confirmed speakers include Mike Goodridge (Protagonist Pictures), Claudia Landsberger (BaseWorx For Film) and John Fithian (National Association of Theatre Owners).

A new series in this year’s programme is Upfront — no-holds barred conversations on the most topical issues in the industry.

Asian Film Summit The Asian Film Summit returns to TIFF Industry programming on September 15, and for the first time will take place at the Glenn Gould Studio.

The Summit is a key element of the Festival's ongoing commitment to build bridges between Asian cinema and the West, and features an international guest list of industry experts and programming that explores the East-West relationship. The Asian Film Summit will include a Master Class with director Jia Zhang-ke.

Doc Conference Newly integrated into the TIFF Industry Conference, the popular Doc Conference is now a full day of keynote sessions and presentations on the current landscape of documentary production, financing and distribution, and takes place on September 16. Featured guests include actor, writer and producer Bill Hader, who will discuss his highly anticipated new series, Documentary Now; award-winning documentary filmmaker Asif Kapadia (Amy); and director Avi Lewis and journalist and writer Naomi Klein, who will speak about outreach and building an audience for documentary film.

TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world, through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net. The Toronto International Film Festival Industry Programming is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L'Oréal Paris and Visa, and Major Supporters Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation The TIFF Docs programme and Doc Conference are sponsored by A+E Studios. The Asian Film Summit is generously supported by Presenting Partner Telefilm Canada.