Currently the CEO of TIFF, Bailey has worked at the renowned festival since 1990 joining as a programmer selecting Canadian films before moving on to African and South Asian cinema. Born in England to Barbadian parents and raised in Canada, Bailey credits his immigrant background as well as his unique journey into film for his success. Under his leadership and strategic direction, the festival continues to grow in size and significance every year.

“Maintaining that outsider’s perspective helps me serve the diverse audience that TIFF caters to, both during the festival and year-round,” Bailey said in a recent interview.

Bailey is responsible for TIFF’s highly successful subscription series, Reel Talk, and also headed TIFF’s Perspective Canada series and founded its Planet Africa section. One of the most significant developments Bailey is currently spearheading is TIFF’s plan to launch its own market in 2026. This will significantly bolster the festival’s status on the global stage by providing a dedicated space for filmmakers, producers, and industry professionals to connect, negotiate deals, and promote their work.

TIFF’s opening day saw the world premiere of The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal from producer-director Mike Downie. He is the brother of the late singer-songwriter Gord Downie of the Canadian rock band, the Tragically Hip. The film sits down with the remaining members of The Tragically Hip for an emotional look at the origin, impact, and legacy of the band that defined Canada, to the world and to itself.

Following the screening of the four-part docu-series, Choir! Choir! Choir! led a giant outdoor sing-a-long to celebrate 40 years of the iconic band.

TIFF is also hosting the world premiere of acclaimed journalist Tanya Talaga’s new, four-part docu-series, The Knowing, a companion to her new book of the same name. Tanya co-directed the series, which follows her journey to solve an 80-year-old family mystery. Through archival footage and intimate interviews, she pieces together the unknown story of her family member, Annie Carpenter.

This beautiful and touching documentary series explores Canada’s true history while bringing viewers on an emotional journey of familial reclamation.

As the anchor of Canada’s most-watched entertainment program, Etalk, Tyrone Edwards is once again on TIFF’s red carpet, interviewing some of the world’s biggest celebrities about their new films. A versatile presenter and interviewer, he brings a passion for connecting with people to the red carpet, helping them to share their stories with the world. At TIFF 2024, Tyrone has connected with Tom Hiddleston about his big dance scene in his new film The Life of Chuck as well as Sydney Sweeney on her new film Eden, with many more interviews to come.

As one of the founders of 1 Love T.O., Tyrone also teamed up with TIFF as part of their OVO x 1 LOVE T.O. collaboration, for a Festival Street pop-up that helped raise funds for TIFF’s Every Story Fund.

For the third year, the House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro partnered with TIFF as a pop-up on their Festival Street, offering festival goers a chance to savour a taste of Italian hospitality in downtown Toronto. With that in mind, it’s no wonder why they teamed up with celebrity chef David Rocco again this year. He is the star of such hit television shows as David Rocco’s Dolce Vita, Dolce India, and Dolce Africa; author of three internationally bestselling cookbooks, including David Rocco’s Dolce Famiglia; and the visionary behind Bar Aperitivo in downtown Toronto, which has been named one of Canada’s 100 best restaurants.

This year, David has curated a reimagined aperitivo menu to complement Peroni Nastro Azzurro’s coveted brews and to truly celebrate superior Italian taste and hospitality.