1976 Toronto International Film Festival

1976 Toronto International Film Festival
Festival poster
Opening filmCousin Cousine[1]
Closing filmQueen of the Gypsies[2]
LocationToronto, Ontario, Canada
Hosted byToronto International Film Festival Group
No. of films127 feature films
Festival dateOctober 18, 1976 (1976-10-18)–October 24, 1976 (1976-10-24)[2]
LanguageEnglish
Websitetiff.net

The 1st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) took place at Windsor Arms Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada between October 18 and October 24, 1976.[2] Initially its name was Festival of Festivals, which remained until 1994 after which it became the Toronto International Film Festival.[3][4]

It showcased 127 feature films from 30 different countries with the audience of 35,000. It featured some of the best films from film festivals around the world.[5][6][7][8] Most of the Hollywood studios later withdrew their submissions citing reason that Toronto audiences would be too parochial for their films.[9]

Cousin Cousine, a French film directed by Jean-Charles Tacchella was selected as the opening film and screened at Ontario Place Cinesphere[1][10][11][12] and Queen of the Gypsies was the closing film.[2] German cinema was focused upon, with films from German directors such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Wim Wenders and Werner Herzog.[6]

Producer Dino De Laurentiis, screened a 90-second preview of his then-unreleased King Kong at the festival.[13]

  1. ^ a b "Fun facts about TIFF". CBC News. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d "When TIFF Was a Festival of Festivals". Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  3. ^ "The TIFF 35th Anniversary Facts and Figures". Economia della Cultura (2). 2011. doi:10.1446/35425. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  4. ^ "In pictures: Toronto Film Festival history and highlights". BBC News. August 30, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  5. ^ "TIFF History". Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Providing captivating films for 33 years". Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  7. ^ "Toronto International Film Festival". Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  8. ^ "The Toronto International Film Festival North America's Largest Festival - A Lauch Pad For Oscar Campaigns". Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  9. ^ "Film Festivals — Then and Now By David Sterritt". Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  10. ^ TCousin Cousine at tiff. 2012-09-07. ISBN 9781468914320. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  11. ^ "36 things you didn't know about TIFF". The Star. Toronto. August 24, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  12. ^ Hevesi, Dennis (January 16, 2008). "Dusty Cohl, 79, a Toronto Film Festival Founder". The New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  13. ^ "In pictures: Toronto Film Festival history and highlights". BBC News. August 30, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.