Toronto Film Festival Moves Downtown

The 2010 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the most important events of the film calendar, is readying for a major move to downtown Toronto from its previous digs in the swanky Yorkville section. The new action is set on Queen Street and King Street West, a vital area of theaters, restaurants, bars and, not coincidentally, the newly opened TIFF Bell Lightbox, the Festival's main hq and the site of the Festival's year-round programs.

While this does represent a seismic shift away from what industry professionals have known for the past decade, it is an exciting opportunity for both the Festival and the city of Toronto to unveil the district, which has been the "go to" destination for chic locals and visitors alike.

This week, the Festival announced that its new Festival Box Office will be located at 363 King Street West and will be open on August 24. New features include a ticket package that celebrates Canadian film, a refined definition of Premium Screening that offers red carpet experiences at multiple venues, and a chance for film lovers to experience TIFF Bell Lightbox, the Festival’s new year-round home. The Festival will run for an additional day this year, offering audiences the opportunity to see even more films.

Some of the Festival's established venues are back. The Roy Thomson Hall will again host Opening Night, Closing Night and Gala Presentations. The Visa Screening Room, located at the historic Elgin Theatre, once again hosts Special Presentations and other Premium Screenings. Additional returning cinemas include: AMC 24 at Yonge & Dundas, Cineplex Odeon Varsity Cinemas, the Isabel Bader Theatre at Victoria College on the grounds of the University of Toronto, the Winter Garden Theatre, Jackman Hall at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Ryerson Theatre at Ryerson University. Scotiabank Theatre Toronto returns for public, press and industry screenings. The National Film Board of Canada Mediatheque returns for press and industry screenings during the Festival and for pre-Festival press screenings. New this year, TIFF Bell Lightbox will be host to public screenings during the Festival.

Ticket packages are available to Visa cardholders and can be purchased online 24 hours a day at tiff.net/thefestival, by phone Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 416-968-FILM or 1-877-968-FILM, and in person at the TIFF Box Office at 2 Carlton Street, West Mezzanine. Tickets are available for purchase beginning July 12 for Visa, cash and debit payments.

A new look but the same high quality, all eyes are turning northward as the Toronto International Film Festival begins to take shape.

Sandy Mandelberger, Toronto FF Dailies Editor