Also, TIFF yesterday announced that Pam Mollica has been hired as the organization’s new director of communications.

The Toronto International Film Festival’s board of directors has asked John Tory to lead the final push of the capital campaign for TIFF’s new Bell Lightbox headquarters.

Tory – at various times a politician, broadcast executive and talk-radio host — is a sought-after fundraiser and corporate director. He has his work cut out for him. TIFF says it hopes to raise $17.5m before the September opening of Lightbox.

Thus far, the campaign has raised $162.5m, 82 percent of TIFF’s total fundraising goal of $196m. TIFF says it expects to raise the remaining $12m in operating funding this year. A final campaign seeking $4m in endowment gifts will be launched after the opening.

In a statement, Tory pointed to the “key role that TIFF Bell Lightbox will play in strengthening the economic and cultural fabric of the city of Toronto, allowing us to take our natural place on the world stage as a leader in film.”

As well, TIFF yesterday announced that Pam Mollica has been hired as the organization’s new director of communications, effective April 12. Mollica has held marketing and communications roles at CanWest, Alliance Atlantis and the National Film Board of Canada. She most recently served as the senior communications manager for Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium and was responsible for all French-language communications initiatives for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Topics