Background
TIFF Bell Light box opened in 2010.
The entrance for the structure's 46-storey tower is on John Street, set back from the much smaller 19th-century buildings along King Street. TIFF Bell Light boxes cinema complex, the Toronto International Film Festival offices, a ground-floor restaurant and a roof-top terrace are housed in a five-storey structure on King. The five-screen cinema complex also features galleries, workshops and a library.[1]
During construction, crews found artifacts belonging to York General Hospital when it was located on the site in 1829.[2]
TIFF[edit]
Main article: Toronto International Film Festival
The podium, a five-storey complex, is the new headquarters for the Toronto International Film Festival and contains five cinemas of various sizes, a three-storey public atrium, two galleries, three learning studios, a centre for students and scholars, a bistro, a restaurant, a lounge, a gift shop, as well as a rooftop terrace.
The theatres present specially curated programming, as well as some new releases. Some films presented tie-in with exhibitions, and retrospectives of actors or filmmakers. The extensive reference library and archives of film, which include publications and archival movies, are open to the public, as well as research and study space.
Since 2010, TIFF Bell Light box has been the home of the Festival, marking the permanent move from Yorkvilleto King West, and will include the future "Cinema Tower" on the north side on the block, which will include five additional theatres. The area also includes prominent venues for the festival such as Roy Thomson Hall.
The complex opened officially on September 12, 2010 with a “free block party”.[3] Bruce McDonald's Trigger was the first film screened at the theatre.[4]
Gallery[edit]
The galleries host exhibitions related to film and art history. The fourth floor gallery is free to the public, while the larger main gallery on the first level hosts large paid exhibitions. The first exhibition was theMoMA's monograph on Tim Burton, subsequent exhibits have included retrospectives of Federico Fellini, Grace Kelly, James Bond, David Cronenberg, and most recently Stanley Kubrick.
Financial support[edit]
The cost of building TIFF Bell Light box was offset by financial support from Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the King and John Festival Corporation, RBC, BlackBerry, Visa, the Copyright Collective of Canada, the Slaight Family Foundation, The Daniels Corporation, NBC Universal Canada, the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, the Harbinger Foundation, Mackenzie Financial, CIBC, and BMO.[5]
Festival Tower[edit]
Festival Tower was developed by The Daniels Corporation and designed by Toronto-based architectural firm Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB). TIFF Bell Lightbox is the home of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), while Festival Tower contains condominium residences. The project was conceived in partnership by the Toronto International Film Festival Group and the King and John Festival Corporation.[6]
2011 falling glass incident[edit]
Glass from the 27th-floor of the condominium tower fell to the ground at around 7:30 p.m. August 2, 2011. Police closed a section of John Street as a precaution, and pedestrian traffic along the side of the building was limited the next day. This incident happened just days after a similar incident at the Murano Condos at 37 Grosvenor Street.[7]
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