The wait is over! The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema will have its grand opening on Wednesday, March 14, amidst a celebratory week of special screenings and events for both the general public and invited guests. Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and Blue Ice Group announced today.
“This partnership is a game-changer for Hot Docs and great news for Toronto’s film lovers,” says Chris McDonald, executive director of Hot Docs. “Investors were anxious to purchase and develop the property but the Bordonaro family was determined to leave the Bloor in cinema-loving hands. Hot Docs and Blue Ice are anxious to meet this challenge. In an era where arts and culture are at risk of funding cuts and indifference from some quarters, this is one of Toronto’s good news stories of the year. We are thrilled.”
“Toronto has amazing film audiences, many of whom make up Hot Docs’ enormous community of documentary fans,” says Blue Ice Group principal Neil Tabatznik. “We are happy that this partnership will rejuvenate the Bloor as a home for docs, where Toronto’s film-lovers will have the chance to experience incredible stories year-round.”
Prior to the grand opening, the public are invited to experience the new cinema at two FREE open-house screenings of Hot Docs 2010 hit Wasteland on Monday, March 12, and Tuesday, March 13, at 7:00 p.m. A multiple award winner, Wasteland follows acclaimed visual artist Vik Muniz and his remarkable work with pickers at the world’s largest landfill site in Brazil.
The Cinema’s scheduled public programming will begin on Friday, March 16, with screenings of Being Elmo: A Pupeteer’s Journey, the heart-warming story of Kevin Clash, the shy puppeteer behind everyone’s favourite Muppet; and the Toronto premiere of Corman’s World: The Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel, a star-studded tribute to Hollywood’s most prolific writer-director-producer and his cult-film empire. Both films begin their limited theatrical engagements at the cinema.
For those of us who’ve missed The Bloor, this is an exciting announcement. Toronto will have a venue where we can enjoy some of our favourite documentaries and discover new ones still. Kudos to Hot Docs and Blue Ice!
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