Piers Handling (born 1949) 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 most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...

, and former director of the

Canadian Film Institute The Canadian Film Institute (CFI) () involves Canada in the film production, study, appreciation process of film/moving images for cultural and educational purposes. The Canadian Film Institute organizes ongoing public film programming and artist ...

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 university, 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 se ...

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 was 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 departure from t ...

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 movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online. Films may be of recent ...

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

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

, 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 was 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 produc ...

in November 2018.

Recognition

Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres The 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 the recognition of significant ...

, 1997 * Honorary degrees from

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

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

OCAD University Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD U, is a public university, public art school, art university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its main campus is located within Toronto's Grange Park (neighbourh ...

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

, and Queen's University *

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal () or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. There are four versions of the medal: one iss ...

, 2012 *

Clyde Gilmour Award The Company 3 TFCA Luminary Award, formerly the Clyde Gilmour Award, is an annual award, presented at the discretion the Toronto Film Critics Association as a lifetime achievement award for distinguished contributions to the Canadian film industry. ...

, 2014 *

Order of Ontario The Order of Ontario is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the Advice (constitutional), advice of the Executive Council ...

, 2014 *

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

, 2017 * Business for the Art's Peter Herrndorf Award, 2017 * Officier des Arts et des Lettres, 2018

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