Toronto/CMEDIA: Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) reportedly prepares once again to welcome thousands of international and Canadian professionals to Toronto in Sept with a dynamic slate of programming for the 2024 TIFF Industry Conference.
Being a vital platform for global business development, content deals, and networking, TIFF’s annual five-day Conference aims to creating a space for professionals to connect, learn, and explore the trends and innovations impacting the industry today.
With currently over 140 sales titles with the Industry Conference’s depth of programming, TIFF has become the ideal destination for buying and selling screen-based projects and content.
The Industry Conference held annually in tandem with the public Festival takes place Sept 6–10. and includes six pillars — Visionaries, Dialogues, Perspectives, Microsessions, Spotlights, and Meet the Decision Makers.
Each pillar brings together a diverse range of voices and experiences.
Supported by Media Partner The Hollywood Reporter, The Visionaries lineup was announced earlier this week and includes inspirational onstage conversations with an illustrious list, including Alfonso Cuarón, Pete Docter, Franklin Leonard, Steven Moffat, and Malala Yousafzai.
DIALOGUES
Moderated conversations between directors, screenwriters, and producers about their creative craft. The Media Partner for Dialogues is Variety, and the programme is supported by Ontario Creates.
- Adaptations with Janicza Bravo and Jordan Tannahill (The Listeners), and Malcolm Washington and Virgil Williams (The Piano Lesson)
- Directors with Guy Maddin (Rumours) and Matthew Rankin (Universal Language)
- Directors with Sydney Freeland (Rez Ball) and Kaniehtiio Horn (Seeds)
- Directors with Andrés Baiz (Pimpinero: Blood and Oil), Ana Endara (Beloved Tropic), and Rodrigo Prieto (Pedro Páramo)
- Queer Lens – Speakers TBA — Presented by Telefilm Canada
- Southeast Asian Cinema: Voyage Beyond Borders – Speakers TBA
- Intimacy in Documentary Storytelling (TIFF Docs) – Speakers TBA
- Elevating the Artistry in Documentary Filmmaking (TIFF Docs) – Speakers TBA
PERSPECTIVES
Moderated panel discussions on the current state of industry. The Media Partner for Perspectives is Screen International.
- The Future of Film Journalism
- The State of Theatrical Distribution in a Global Marketplace
- Indigenous Perspectives on New Models for International Co-Productions — Presented by Indigenous Screen Office
- Strategies for Sustainable Cinema — Supported by Ontario Creates
- Building Inclusive Futures: The Means of Accessibility — This session will have closed captioning and an ASL interpreter, and is co-programmed by Disability Screen Office
- Tuning In: Series Decision Makers on International Markets
- Pathways to Africa
- The State of the Canadian Documentary Industry (TIFF Docs)
MICROSESSIONS
Moderated panel discussions with key subject matter experts programmed in collaboration with industry partners.
- Telefilm 101: How to Access Telefilm Financing — Presented by Telefilm
- TikTok, Redefining Fandom — Presented by TikTok
- You Shoot, We Score: Celebrating Canadian Composers and Songs — Presented by SOCAN, Music Publishers Canada, and Screen Composers Guild of Canada
- The Future of Media & Entertainment: AI-Powered Business Models and Gender-Inclusive Investments — Presented by Women in Cloud
- Building the Future of Entertainment IP with a Fan Reward Ecosystem — Presented by Doodles
- Amplifying The Audience Experience — How Technology Is Changing Cinema’s Future — Presented by Christie
- How Theatres are ‘Event-izing’ the Moviegoing Experience — Presented by The Cinema Foundation, National Association of Theatre Owners
SPOTLIGHTS
Breakfast market events with national and regional promotion agencies and industry organizations: Pitching, networking and project financing.
- Inaugural Gold Pitch Filmmaker Showcase — Presented by Gold House in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada
- The BIG PITCH at TIFF — Presented by CaribbeanTales Media Group
- Italy, Your Strategic Film Partner! Pitching, Funds and Incentives Forum — Presented by Italian Trade Commission
- Colombia: Savor the Full Potential for New Projects And Investments — Presented by Proimágenes Colombia
- Do It the Spanish Way! International Co-production Forum — Presented by Cinema from Spain, and ICEX
- The Other London — Industry Mixer — Presented by Film London
- Polish Cinema — Presented by the Polish Film Institute
- Make It Big in Ontario’s North with CION — Presented by Cultural Industries Ontario North
- Hollywood du Nord: La production cinématographique au Canada — Presented by Club Canadien de Toronto
- Everything Under the Sun… and More! Film Attraction Forum — Presented by ICEX
LIVE ONSTAGE PODCASTS
TIFF’s media partners host live, onstage podcast talks with some of the festival’s most exciting directors and actors:
- IndieWire: Screen Talk Live with co-hosts Anne Thompson, Kate Erbland, and special guest R.J. Cutler
- The Ankler’s Prestige Junkie LIVE with Katey Rich and Special Guest
- The Ankler LIVE with Thom Powers and Raoul Peck (TIFF Docs)
MEET THE DECISION MAKERS
Intimate sessions that connect emerging filmmakers with key decision makers, including distributors, sales agents, financiers, streamers, and broadcasters.
TIFF TALENT STUDIO
Labs, fellowships and funds designed to support the development of emerging directors, producers, writers, and showrunners, and their projects:
- CHANEL Women Writers’ Network Micro Talent Summit – Supported by CHANEL
- CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund – Supported by CJ Cultural Foundation and The Korean Film Council
- Monkeypaw Productions’ NO DRAMA – Powered by the Universal Filmmakers Project and TIFF
- Series Accelerator – Supported by Canada Media Fund
- Every Story Accelerator – Supported by RBC Foundation
- Sloan Science & Technology Project Pitch — Returning for a second year, select creators have the opportunity to participate in this non-competitive pitch to further develop their science and technology-related film or episodic projects.
- Sloan Science on Film Showcase — Daniela Forever is this year’s Showcase and features a Q&A with director Nacho Vigalondo and a scientific expert in lucid dreaming. Funding for these two programmes is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Public Understanding of Science and Technology program.
