Annual Report 2017 ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Festival Street, 2017 Festival “Supporting art is supporting peaceful protest, truth, and knowledge exchange.” — TIFF supporter ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL The Shape of Water (2017), dir. Guillermo del Toro Contents 6 Who We Are Welcome Letter TIFF Story 10 People & Culture Community Initiatives (Reel Comfort, Pocket Fund) Our Volunteers Volunteer Spotlight 18 Visitor Experience Canada on Screen TIFF Kids digiPlaySpace 28 Artistic Excellence Film Circuit ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky Black Star Ida Lupino: Independent Woman Summer in France China Film Archive 42 Sustainability Adult Learning, Youth Learning Next Wave, Jump Cuts Film Preservation, Film Reference Library Share Her Journey TIFF Industry 64 Finance Statement of Operations Board of Directors TBLB Campaign Supporters Government Partners Corporate Sponsors, Donors & Supporters 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), dir. Stanley Kubrick Welcome TIFF Story Piers Handling, Over the past 42 years, TIFF has meant The importance of the work that TIFF Director & CEO, TIFF something different to different stakeholders does lives in the promotion and preservation at different times: a Festival of Festivals, of not only film, but also our audiences. a charity, a platform for discovery, the world’s Without people to intersect with art, we’d have Jennifer Tory, largest public film festival (with the best storytellers with no witnesses, and no one Chair, audiences), a launch pad for the awards to carry forward the lessons and messages TIFF Board of Directors season, and, finally, the 365-day-a-year, learned. In the quickly changing landscape state-of-the-art, multi-cinema TIFF Bell of film and technology, the audience remains Lightbox. TIFF has been, and continues an integral part of what we do. to be, all these things. What distinguishes it from other organizations of its kind is As we look back on the year that was 2017, its kaleidoscopic nature, which mirrors the and as TIFF moves firmly into its middle age mosaic of our audiences. both wiser and humbler, we are thankful that filmmaking is widening its lens to include The common thread that runs through more diverse voices to curate from, and that all the different identities TIFF has held over cinema is alive and well, even as its formats 2017 will be remembered as the year of a staple for TIFF, and as a charitable arts the years is the connection between art and change. Our identity will continue to ebb and the woman. The discussions and movement organization it is not only our responsibility audience, and the transformation that comes flow, as things do over time. We hope to expand around gender parity and overall respect to uphold and support these voices and when the two meet in a safe place in the dark. our vision and to never be static. We are for women in the workforce dominated others like them, but also our honour to do Defences come down, minds are opened, indebted to all those who care to be part of the news cycle. TIFF took its stand early so. Our offerings during the Festival and year- judgement takes a back seat, and belief the TIFF story, and who continue to enable in the year with the launch of Share Her round often mirror what is happening in the is suspended, for a brief and sacred time. us and to support us in our mission. Journey, a fundraising campaign focused zeitgeist, and our global film community is ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL And that’s when true change happens. People on supporting women in front of and behind brimming with an unconventional creativity can emerge from these darkened rooms the camera. The response was resoundingly that is truth-telling like never before. The enlightened, furious, weepy, or confused, positive from all our stakeholders, and combination brought us some of the most but always transformed in some way. the campaign continues to grow. powerful filmmaking we have seen in years. It was also a year of significant shifts in the Looking forward, 2018 will bring both a filmmaking world. Diversity and marginalized change in leadership in the organization and characters challenged the status quo: a new strategic plan focussing on the next “In the quickly changing Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name five years and a new iteration of TIFF. What and Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water does the future look like? As the largest reminded us what unconditional love looks public film festival in the world, and a hub for landscape of film and like; Sebastián Lelio shared a story that has world and new cinema year-round, our focus never been told with A Fantastic Woman; is on you, the audience. TIFF, in partnership and Agnès Varda, aged 89 and in her seventh with its diverse and committed supporters, technology, the audience decade as a director, made a resurgence as will continue to provide a safe space for the coolest woman working in film. The work lovers, seekers, and creators to celebrate of these artists and activists has become cinema and storytelling. remains an integral part of what we do.” WHO WE ARE | 6 WHO WE ARE | 7 “Everybody is important, every human being. You’re here for a reason, so find the best in you and express it.” — Alanis Obomsawin ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL WHO WE ARE | 8 Alanis Obomsawin, TIFF Portrait Studio, 2017 People & Culture ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world — we welcome new immigrants from around the globe daily, and our population of around 2.8 million speaks over 200 different languages. TIFF is proud to represent this dynamic community both within our staff and through our diverse community initiatives. “Transforming the way people see the world through film” is our mission statement, and we endeavor to inspire audiences to express themselves and their cultural perspectives through the shared experience of the moving image — regardless of ethnicity, ability, or socioeconomic status. TIFF Talent Lab, 2017 Opportunities to engage Community Initiatives with film, and discover a means of expression through it, should extend to all people. TIFF has prioritized its work with non-profit community organizations to help deliver film experiences that reflect the needs, interests, 4,500 individuals given and abilities of different communities. In 2017 we collaborated on film-based access to screenings programming with Sheena’s Place, a not-for-profit that Participants used found footage and art supports individuals, families, supplies to tell new stories in a hand- drawn GIF workshop and friends affected by eating disorders. We also worked on a Special Delivery 42 workshop that connected filmmaker Charles Officer with Villaways, a public- community- housing community facing imposed relocation, which partner groups inspired Officer’s acclaimed documentary Unarmed Verses, winner of both the Canada’s Top Ten People’s Choice Award and the 145 Best Canadian Feature ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL Documentary Award at events Hot Docs ’17. Each year, with the nationwide help of many donors and supporters, we provide thousands of free tickets to children and community 2,000+ members through a variety of community support initiatives. In 2017 we participants provided free access to over 4,500 individuals who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to experience our cultural and educational 37 creators programming, through our Participants create sound effects Pocket Fund, TIFF Gives, for a silent film during a workshop engaged as at St. Michael’s Hospital and Reel Magic initiatives. guest artists PEOPLE & CULTURE | 12 COMMUNITY INITIATIVES | 13 “Arts-based social programming like that offered by TIFF is tremendously therapeutic and brought our clients together to learn more about film, connect with ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL one another, and acknowledge their strengths.” — Lauren Drouillard, Program Manager, Sheena’s Place PEOPLE & CULTURE | 14 Reel Talk session, 2017 The dedication, energy, Our Volunteers and loyalty of TIFF’s Volunteers is vital to our organization. Clocking almost 100,000 hours this year, Volunteers Festival ’17 Volunteers continue to champion our Festival and year-round programming at TIFF Bell Lightbox. To amplify and create a more holistic experience for younger Volunteers, we launched our Youth Volunteer Programme to expand opportunities available for youth aged 14–18 who Volunteer Spotlight are interested in arts and culture. Volunteers of all ages continue to help us create one-of-a-kind “The diversity of experiences for audiences through their unique skill sets and perspectives. TIFF Volunteers reflects our ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL city, and our society, to film audiences; 3,040 96,832 they see that Volunteers hours reflected at TIFF.” donated — Ali Khan, TIFF Volunteer since 2013 PEOPLE & CULTURE | 16 OUR VOLUNTEERS | 17 Visitor Experience ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL Our commitment to presenting the best of international and Canadian cinema and creating transformational experiences for film lovers, seekers, and creators of all ages and backgrounds comes to life at TIFF Bell Lightbox. This year’s Canada on Screen, TIFF Kids, and digiPlaySpace activations highlighted our growing capacity to bring the very best of Canadian and international cinema to visitors — locally, nationally, and globally. digiPlaySpace 2017 TIFF’s Canada on Screen Canada on Screen programme, co-produced with Library and Archives Canada, 600 the Cinémathèque québécoise, and The Cinematheque screenings in Vancouver, was the most ambitious retrospective of Canada’s moving-image nationwide heritage to date. The exhibition 2167, a virtual-reality project conducted in collaboration with imagineNATIVE, 235,000+ Pinnguaq, the Initiative for Indigenous Futures, and participants supported by the Harbinger Foundation, saw Indigenous filmmakers and artists imagine Indigenous life 150 years in the future.