A look back at highlights from the Toronto film festival’s 40 years

By The Canadian Press

TORONTO – The Toronto International Film Festival marks its 40th anniversary this September with a slew of star-studded titles featuring celebs including Matt Damon, Julianne Moore and Johnny Depp.

Organizers are touting a reinvigorated 11-day marathon that celebrates the fest’s past and future, and boasting the theme: “Defining moments since 1976.” Here is a look back at the highlights over the years:

1976 — The festival launches as the Festival of Festivals, founded by Bill Marshall, Henk Van der Kolk and Dusty Cohl. Back then it featured the best of other film festivals around the world.

1978 — Wayne Clarkson becomes festival director

1987 — Helga Stephenson named festival director, Piers Handling named programming director

1988 — The Midnight Madness program is created

1994 — Current boss Piers Handling is named festival director and CEO, the festival name is changed to Toronto International Film Festival.

1998 — Sprockets (now TIFF Kids International Film Festival) is launched

2001 — Canada’s Top Ten list is launched

2010 — TIFF opens TIFF Bell Lightbox, a glass-encased film mecca featuring five cinemas, two restaurants, exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities. The first exhibition centres on movie visionary Tim Burton.

2012 — Sprockets is renamed the TIFF Kids International Film Festival. TIFF launches the TIFF Next Wave Film Festival.

2015 — TIFF marks its 40th anniversary by introducing a TV program called Primetime and a competitive film program called Platform, to highlight high-quality international cinema. As a thank-you to local film fans, it also announces 40 free screenings to take place over the summer and fall.

— Source: The Toronto International Film Festival

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