Former TIFF boss Michele Maheux gets award from Toronto film critics

TORONTO – The former executive director of the Toronto International Film Festival is getting a top award from the Toronto Film Critics Association.

The TFCA says Michele Maheux is this year’s recipient of the Technicolor Clyde Gilmour Award, which recognizes a Canadian industry figure who has contributed to the advancement and/or history of homegrown cinema.

The honour comes with $50,000 in production services for Maheux to give to an emerging filmmaker of her choosing.

She’ll announce her designate in the days to come.

This past summer Maheux retired from TIFF, where she was also chief operating officer.

She’d been with the organization for 30 years, playing a role in festival achievements including the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

“This is very humbling for me as you all have been such a huge part of my career,” Maheux said Wednesday in a statement.

The TFCA will announce the majority of its 2019 awards on Dec. 9.

The annual TFCA Awards gala will be held in Toronto on Jan. 9.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2019.