Programmer, writer Bailey to helm Toronto film festival

The Toronto International Film Festival Group is shuffling some of its senior staff, with one executive shifting focus to the building of its new home and a longtime programmer to head the annual film fest.

TIFFG CEO Piers Handling announced Wednesday that Noah Cowan, who has been at the helm of the film festival for the past four years, will become the artistic director of Bell Lightbox — the group's currently-in-construction new home in downtown Toronto.

Writer, film critic, broadcaster and programmer Cameron Bailey will succeed Cowan as the new co-director of the Toronto International Film Festival, effective Jan. 1.

"Cameron has been an important member of our programming team and has established superb credentials as a strong curator," Handling, who will remainco-director of the film festival, said in a statement.

"Noah and I look forward to working with him to assure the continued success of the film festival."

Born in London, England, and raised in both Barbados and Toronto, Bailey's credits include movie coverage for CBC Radio, CTV's Canada AM and the Toronto news weekly Now.

He has also upheld a long association with the film festival and its organizers, serving as a programmer for the past 12 years, founding the former Planet Africa section, heading the Perspective Canada series and participating in year-round activities such as the Reel Talk discussions.

In recent years, Bailey has focused on bringing films from Africa, South Asia and the Philippines to the festival.

Handling also announced that Jim Hamilton, the British film expert and administrator who was placed in charge of developing programming for TIFFG's new home, has decided to return to the U.K.

Lightbox, which will become the main hub of the Toronto International Film Festival as well as the organizing group's year-round home base, is slated to open in 2009.