Credit Luis Mora
The Board of Directors of the Toronto International Film Festival® (TIFF) today announced the appointment of Cameron Bailey to the role of CEO. A veteran of TIFF, Bailey leads the organization into a new chapter with an immediate focus on building a Toronto International Film Festival for the future while offering audiences a transformative TIFF experience all year round. Bailey’s new position comes on the heels of the announcement of Jeffrey Remedios, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Canada, as TIFF’s new Chair of the Board.
As an industry leader in the film and entertainment landscape and with 25 years with the organization, Bailey has been instrumental in growing and cultivating TIFF’s loyal audiences and ensuring the Festival is an essential stop for filmmakers, industry professionals and journalists from around the world. Over the course of his decades-long tenure, Bailey has held several key roles: starting as a programmer with Perspective Canada, founding the Planet Africa section, working as TIFF's Artistic Director, and most recently as the Co-Head of the organization. Today’s announcement comes as TIFF Bell Lightbox recently reopened its doors to film lovers and as the organization begins its planning for Festival 2022.
"I could not be more assured in my first act as Chair representing the TIFF Board in the appointment of Cameron Bailey as CEO. Cameron is a luminary in the global film industry and his committed leadership, strategic perspective and unparalleled passion has already built an essential foundation for this organization. There is no one better suited to drive TIFF forward," said Jeffrey Remedios, Chair of TIFF. "His immeasurable depth of cinematic knowledge, his astute understanding of this ever-changing industry and the evolving technologies that impact the way we share stories through film will shape TIFF's future and I look forward to supporting his vision for years to come."
"TIFF's mission to 'transform the way people see the world through film' is my mission as well," said Cameron Bailey. "I believe the moving image has a unique power to tap into our deepest emotions, and shift the way we view our world and each other. It's both a joy and an enormous responsibility to lead our passionate, committed TIFF team as we connect people and communities through film. I'm indebted to TIFF's founders and to each of TIFF's previous leaders for building an organization dedicated to making positive change in the world for filmgoers, filmmakers, and all the professionals who make movies matter."
As CEO, Bailey will implement a vision for a thriving organization prepared for the future of film, and ready to engage audiences more widely and more often. That includes evolving the Toronto International Film Festival to meet the future needs of film lovers, filmmakers, industry professionals and all stakeholders, as well as growing TIFF's year-round offerings to engage audiences both in-cinema and online. With both a global reach and a strong local footprint at TIFF Bell Lightbox, the organization under Bailey's leadership is planning for growth.
About Cameron Bailey
Cameron Bailey is CEO of TIFF and the Toronto International Film Festival®. He is responsible for setting TIFF’s strategic direction and leading its teams toward fulfilling TIFF's mission to transform the way people see the world through film.
Bailey grew up in England and Barbados before migrating to Canada. He began his career as a film critic, then joined TIFF in 1990 as a seasonal programmer. At TIFF he headed the Festival's Perspective Canada program, and founded its Planet Africa section in 1995. For 20 years he worked as both programmer and critic, contributing to Toronto’s NOW Magazine, CBC Radio One, and CTV’s Canada AM. He has been published in The Globe and Mail, The Village Voice, and Screen, along with several books. In 2015, Bailey participated in CBC's Canada Reads competition, successfully championing Kim Thuy’s novel Ru.
Bailey has taught film curation at the University of Toronto, and holds an honorary doctorate from Western University. He is a Chevalier in France's Order of Arts and Letters and is a member-at-large of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. For 10 consecutive years, (2012–2021), Toronto Life magazine has named him one of Toronto’s 50 Most Influential People.
