The Toronto Film Festival has canceled its planned Tuesday morning press conference to unveil a major portion of its 2018 lineup in the wake of Sunday night’s shooting in the city that killed two and wounded at least 15.
The fest said today it would instead announce its lineup of Special Presentations and Gala screenings via press release. The presser had been set to take place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, the festival’s headquarters, about six miles away from the shooting on Danforth Avenue.
The news comes after a 29-year-old man opened fire on the busy Danforth Avenue on Sunday at about 10 PM local time with people in cafes and restaurants reportedly among targets. Two women were killed, and at least 15 were injured. The suspected shooter was later found dead. A motive remains unclear.
Video clips used by Canadian media show a white man wearing a dark cap, dark clothing and a shoulder bag stop on a pavement and pull out a handgun before firing shots.
The Toronto festival, which runs this year from September 6-16, is the first of the major fall festivals so key to shaping Oscar season to take the wraps off its lineup. Another, the Venice Film Festival, is set to announce its lineup Wednesday.
Telluride does not officially announce its lineup until the Friday before its Labor Day weekend run, but that fest’s pics usually become pretty clear by the time Toronto and Venice titles are revealed.
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