Cameron Bailey says TIFF is 'back in a big way' after last year's challenges

Toronto International Film Festival CEO Cameron Bailey says the annual cinematic showcase is “back in a big way” after several setbacks cast a shadow over last year’s event.

Toronto International Film Festival CEO Cameron Bailey says the annual cinematic showcase is “back in a big way” after several setbacks cast a shadow over last year’s event.

The festival kicks off Thursday, bringing with it the star power lacking from last year’s edition due to Hollywood strikes.

Angelina Jolie, Pharrell Williams and Cate Blanchett are among the celebs expected to walk the red carpet, while some of the buzziest titles include Pamela Anderson’s comeback drama “The Last Showgirl,” Jason Reitman's "Saturday Night," and Francis Ford Coppola’s self-funded passion project “Megalopolis.”

“The actors who were affected by the strikes are more eager than ever to be at an event like ours, to be in front of their audiences again, to reconnect with their public because that's a big part of what they love doing,” Bailey said in an interview while unveiling the Canadian lineup last month.

“The Toronto audience is unique among film festival audiences in its size, its knowledge, its enthusiasm for movies and its friendliness. So the stars can't wait to be a part of that again.”

Last year’s TIFF hit another snag when news emerged weeks before the festival that its lead sponsor Bell would end a nearly three-decade partnership at the end of 2023.

TIFF announced earlier this summer that it had tapped Rogers as its new “presenting sponsor,” but only for a single year and only for the festival itself, not its year-round activities.