Piers Handling is the former CEO and executive director of the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...

, and former director of the

Canadian Film Institute The Canadian Film Institute (CFI) (french: Institut canadien du film (ICF)) Canadian Film Institute involves Canada in the film production, study, appreciation process of film/moving images for cultural and educational purposes. The Canadian Film ...

Early life

Piers was born to Joan Garrod and Douglas Handling, who met during World War II. He was born in Calgary, but raised on army bases throughout Europe. Handling studied philosophy at Queen's University, and began his film career at the

. He would eventually become director of the CFI. After leaving the CFI, he taught Canadian cinema at

Carleton University Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning World ...

in Ottawa and Queen's University in Kingston.

TIFF

Handling joined the Toronto International Film Festival in 1982, replaced

Helga Stephenson Helga Stephenson, is a Canadian film industry executive, who served as CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television from 2011 to 2016."Paying tribute to a true film world visionary". ''Toronto Star'', March 22, 2015. Following her depart ...

as programmer in 1987, and became CEO and executive director in 1994. During his tenure, TIFF became one of the biggest

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upon ...

s in the world, with its own permanent downtown home and film hub in

TIFF Bell Lightbox TIFF Bell Lightbox is a cultural centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located in the first five floors of the Bell Lightbox and Festival Tower on the north west corner of King Street and John Street. TIFF Bell Lightbox features five cinemas, two ...

, which screens films and holds various events year-round. In 2003, Handling was named CEO of the Year by the Canadian Public Relations Society. Handling is scheduled to be succeeded by

Joana Vicente Joana Vicente is a Portuguese independent movie producer and executive. A prominent figure in the New York film industry, Vicente has produced over forty films with her producing partner and husband Jason Kliot. In 1999 Vicente and Kliot produced ...

in November 2018.

Recognition

Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...

, 1997 * Honorary degrees from

Ryerson University Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU or Toronto Met) is a public university, public research university located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's core campus is situated within the Garden District, Toronto, Garden District, although i ...

York University York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...

and

OCAD University Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD, is a public art university located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus is spread throughout several buildings and facilities within do ...

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (french: Médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II) or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ...

, 2012 * Clyde Gilmour Award, 2014 *

Order of Ontario The Order of Ontario () is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is adm ...

, 2014 *

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...

, 2017

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Handling, Piers Canadian film executives Toronto International Film Festival people 1949 births Recipients of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Members of the Order of Ontario Living people Film festival directors