TORONTO – As the new lead sponsor of the Toronto International Film Festival, Bell Canada today made it official that it will provide extensive, exclusive coverage of the festival on its FreeVu Festival Access channel.
Film fans nationwide who are ExpressVu customers will be able to view all TIFF press conferences, red carpet celebrity interviews, exclusive parties and much more in high definition on channel 835 and in SD on channel 307 starting August 28th.
Prior to Bell’s naming deal, Rogers Cable provided 24/7 coverage of TIFF on Rogers Television. This year Rogers has cut back its coverage to two hours a day.
"Film enthusiasts that want to watch the best of the Toronto International Film Festival and stay connected to all of the news and events throughout the Festival can now enjoy every moment in full HD," said Gary Smith, president, Bell ExpressVu. "Bell will deliver exclusive content like red carpet interviews on ExpressVu, film clips and celebrity news online and downloadable movie trailers on Bell Mobility cell phones, offering Canadian film lovers access to the latest Festival news, events, and more anytime, anywhere, with Bell."
TIFF enthusiasts can also visit www.bell.ca/festivalaccess online throughout the fest to access editorial content updated frequently including interviews, celebrity parties, festival insider news and exclusive film clips. In addition, viewers will have a chance to win a premiere home theatre system complete with notebook computer and Bell ExpressVu and Sympatico service online. Bell Mobility customers will be able to text message using their Bell Mobility cell phone to automatically enter the contest.
"We are thrilled to see Bell Canada bring an HD Festival experience into the homes of so many Canadians," said Piers Handling, director and CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival Group, in the press release. "Bell and TIFF are working together to create new opportunities to allow the Festival to reach new audiences and give Festival goers new and exciting ways to experience the event."
Bell Festival street teams will be on-site throughout the festival as well. Team members will be outfitted with dynamic back-pack mounted overhead digital TVs and the MotoQ handset from Motorola to entertain and inform film-goers waiting in ticket line-ups with movie trailers, interviews and the latest TIFF news, parties and events.
Bell Canada is the lead sponsor of the 31st TIFF, Sept 7-16 2006. Bell will also hold exclusive naming rights to the new Toronto Festival Centre. Bell is also the exclusive telecommunications, information technology and communications sponsor and preferred supplier of the TIFF Group.
