TIFF is planned for September 10–20, 2020

These past few weeks have been unlike anything we’ve all experienced before. To help limit the spread of COVID-19, we made the necessary decision to close our Toronto cinemas and offices at TIFF Bell Lightbox. During these times, we are acutely aware of the challenges of staying connected as creators, audiences, friends, and family. TIFF is an organization that believes in bringing together communities by creating transformational filmgoing experiences.

We remain committed to creating connections and sharing films with you, now and into the future. We wanted to provide an update from our co-heads, Executive Director Joana Vicente and Artistic Director Cameron Bailey, about extending our closure until July 1 and what we’re doing to refocus our efforts amidst this global crisis, including how we’re planning for September’s Film Festival.

TIFF will continue to follow the updates on COVID-19 closely, while adhering to the guidelines put forward by our governments, to ensure the measures we take will help protect our staff and audience. The decision to keep our doors closed and to temporarily halt our year-round programming will help mitigate the spread of the disease. Of course, we recognize that in planning for the Festival now, there is still uncertainty about what “people coming together again” will look like come September.

This is why we are looking at both onsite and digital innovations that will provide options that will deliver for our audiences, support filmmakers and our partners, and bolster the industry. We encourage you to check in on your friends and family. Share your favourite films with them to watch at home. Our recently launched Stay-At-Home Cinema, streaming on Crave, provides a way for communal filmgoing to still thrive. Let’s use great art to confront our fears, soothe our anxieties, and connect with one another. If you hold tickets for an impacted event, we will be in touch with you directly about your options.

We are sincerely grateful for our ever-supportive audiences and the generosity of everyone who has donated the cost of their tickets back to TIFF. For those who are in the position to help, we deeply appreciate your donations — thank you. We are determined to find new ways to deliver programming to you at home until we can see you back at Lightbox again. We’ve heard from so many people whose lives and careers have been disrupted during this change in all of our lives — please know that our thoughts are with you. We’ve seen our staff and community rally together in ways we could never have imagined. In times like these, Community matters.

Art matters. Film matters. Community, Art and Film have the ability to give us hope and to highlight the similarities of our global experience as human beings. Know that we are all in this together, and only together can we bring about positive change. Thank you for your tireless work, strength, and love. Our doors will open again, and we look forward to welcoming you back. Until then, stay safe, and take care.

Thank you, Joana Vicente, Executive Director & Co-Head and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director & Co-Head TIFF