Film Reference Library
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The Film Reference Library (FRL) [tiff.net/library] is Canada’s pre-eminent film research collection. The library is the ultimate free resource for film lovers, filmmakers, students, scholars, and journalists, and is located on the 4th floor of the TIFF Bell Lightbox. A proud affiliate member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), the FRL promotes Canadian and global film scholarship by collecting, preserving, and providing access to a comprehensive collection of film prints, and film-related reference resources (including books, periodicals, scripts, research files, movies, press kits, and over 80 Special Collections).
The FRL Collection is visible online at tiff.net/collection and contains 60,000 film research files, which include presskits, photographs, and clippings, 20,000 book titles, 13,000 film and television titles that may be screened in the Gary & Joanne Reamy Family Media Centre, 2,000 film scripts, 700 magazine and journal titles, 80 Special Collections, and a large and varied selection of other research materials, including 300,000 images, 11,000 posters and 6,000 soundtracks.
Special Collections
The Film Reference Library houses over 80 Special Collections that illuminate the history of Canadian cinema. The Special Collections are comprised of original archival records: audiovisual material and film elements; print materials, festival catalogues, as well as shooting scripts and production notes. The archives are devoted to Atom Egoyan, David Cronenberg, Patricia Rozema and many other notable Canadian filmmakers and producers.
Free Exhibitions: CIBC Canadian Film Gallery
The CIBC Canadian Film Gallery [1] exhibits rare and unique materials from the Film Reference Library Special Collections, with exhibitions
curated by the Library Director. These exhibitions aim to educate the public on the history of the moving image, with special emphasis on Canadian Cinema. Previous exhibitions include:
- In Love with the Stars, September 8, 2015 – April 2, 2016
- X-Men Master: Gordon Smith, August 17, 2012 – March 31, 2013
- Otherwordly: The Art of Canadian Costume Design, September 2, 2011 – April 1, 2012
- Mary Pickford and the Invention of the Movie Star, January 13, 2011 – July 3, 2011
This initiative for post-secondary students, faculty, and emerging professionals includes a grant of CDN$1,000, office space at the Library, and access to our extensive Special Collections. The scholarship is awarded to one recipient annually, with applications accepted each fall.