CCAM Film Advisor Office Hours: Cameron Bailey

Join CCAM for a conversation with Cameron Bailey, Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), moderated by Susan Youssef (CCAM Film Advisor). As CEO of TIFF, Cameron Bailey leads one of the world’s most influential film institutions and one of the largest public film festivals in the world. This special Film Advisor Office Hours conversation will offer Yale students and community members an opportunity to hear from Bailey about the changing landscape of cinema, the role of film festivals in discovering and championing filmmakers, and how films move from an artist’s vision to international audiences. The conversation will explore filmmaking, curation, festivals, global cinema, and the future of the theatrical experience, as well as Bailey’s perspective on what allows emerging filmmakers and distinctive new voices to break through in an increasingly complex film landscape. About Cameron Bailey and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): Cameron Bailey is the Chief Executive Officer of TIFF and the Toronto International Film Festival — the world’s largest public film festival and one of Canada’s leading cultural brands. He is responsible for setting TIFF’s strategic direction and leading its teams toward fulfilling TIFF’s mission to transform the way people see the world through film. Born in London, Bailey grew up in England and Barbados before migrating to Canada as a child. He began his career as a film critic, then joined TIFF in 1990 as a seasonal programmer, where he curated Canadian, African, and South Asian cinema. For 20 years, he worked as both programmer and critic, contributing to Toronto’s NOW Magazine, CBC Radio One, and CTV’s Canada AM. He has been published in The Globe and Mail, The Village Voice, and Screen, along with several books. Bailey has taught film curation at the University of Toronto and holds an honorary Doctor of Laws from Western University. He is a voting member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and a Chevalier in France’s Order of Arts and Letters. In April 2025, he was awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of his outstanding achievements and significant contributions to Canada. In 2026, he was appointed to the Order of Ontario. This same year, he was also selected as a member of the inaugural cohort of the Michael D. Eisner Arts and Culture Fellowship at the Aspen Institute. For 14 consecutive years (2012–2025), Toronto Life has named Bailey one of the city’s 50 Most Influential People. This event is free and open to Yale community members. Registration is not required. Participants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, and room capacity limits will apply.