The TIFF award recipients weren’t the only winners at the Festival this year — it’s also reporting record highs for industry attendance and also strong film sales. As TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey put it in a media release, “[I]ndustry professionals who attend the Festival are provided with the opportunities, tools and information they need to successfully network and further their business, as well as creative goals. It’s a key component that drives the increase in numbers we see year after year.”
This year that increase included a 9% rise in buyers attending, for a total of 2100. There was also a 7% increase in registered delegates at the Industry Office. Africa was the single territory with the greatest increase in delegates (33%).
And the attendance is reflected in business transactions: By the last count, 36 films were sold during the Festival. They’ll be going out to multiple territories.
How did homegrown films do at finding corporate homes during the Festival? TIFF reports that “Canadian films sold during the Festival include: February, Forsaken, Into the Forest
and Sleeping Giant.” D Films, of course, has picked up the Canadian rights to Sleeping Giant with Seville International taking over the international sales.
Sounds like another great year.
