I don't remember it like it was yesterday, I remember it like it was 2005.
But first, 2004.
When we first ventured out as a proper website, that September during TIFF, we quickly established this ritual where we'd meet up at the Imperial Pub, have a couple pops then saunter up to the Ryerson Theatre for the Midnight Madness screenings. Folks would come and go, in and out, grab a drink with us, and so on. Good times.
The following September in 2005 our founder Todd and I sat down in that same pub across from a very energetic and enthusiastic fellow Englishman who shared their vision with us about creating a brand new genre and horror film festival for Toronto that would run every October, during spooky season. That guy was Adam Lopez, future founder and director of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. Would we be open to supporting his vision when the festival was up and running? You bet we were.
Fast forward again, one more year to 2006, at the then-just-called Bloor Cinema. "Cinemaniacs" from all over the GTA started gathering all day and night for five days to take in a collection of local and international genre faves at the first ever Toronto After Dark. Todd was on board as a programmer and I was a schlub with their first ever press pass. Yes, Toronto After Dark was the first film festival to treat us like a proper news outlet. Which is why, after many years away from the festival, I still feel compelled to write this update about it.
You see, over the years we'd continue to go back and support Toronto After Dark but as our reputation grew and were invited to more events, we spread our wings, started travelling to other festivals. We also expanded our numbers with writers from all over the World who began attending festivals all throughout the year. We began to see the overlap and found ourselves ahead of the programming at Toronto After Dark, we'd outpaced our own local film festival. We didn't want to take a highly coveted spot away from someone else who needed one, someone who could only attend local events. The festival would go on without us, catering to its loyal local audience for 17 years, and still one of best *destination festivals for touring genre films in Canada.
The festival was going to celebrate its eighteenth year this October but if you've been paying attention you would know that Lopez has been battling Stage IV Head & Neck cancer for the past three years. Battling a prognosis that only gave him a year to live when he first found out. Since then he's been trying to tell cancer to fuck off and been sharing that fight with his friends and followers on his socials. Its truly inspiring stuff but constantly an uphill battle.
Fuck you, cancer.
Lopez has reached a point where his health has deteriorated so much that he must make it his priority, his recovery must be his only goal. So regrettably this year's festival has been postponed until 2025 and Lopez has decided to step down as Festival Director at the end of the year. They will stay on as a Senior Advisor to the newly named Festival Legacy Diretor, Peter Kuplowsky.
Kuplowsky shouldn't need any introduction. If you're involved with genre film in any shape or form you will have come across his name. They are the Midnight Madness programmer, Director of Shorts at Fantastic Fest, producer of films like In A Violent Nature, and curator in and around the Toronto film scene. They have been involved with Toronto After Dark as long as anyone can be and familiar face to that crowd. Folks know the festival has been placed in good hands.
Lopez has our best wishes on his battle and we'll remain attentitive to his fight through his communications to his friends and followers. The full announcement from the festival site is posted below.
2024 FESTIVAL POSTPONEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT & SPECIAL STATEMENT FROM OUTGOING FESTIVAL DIRECTOR & FOUNDER ADAM LOPEZDear Festival Fans, Filmmakers, Staff, Volunteers and Supporters,18TH FESTIVAL POSTPONED BY ONE YEAR, TO OCTOBER 15-19, 2025I regret to inform you, that due to unfortunate circumstances beyond our control, the 18th Annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival, originally scheduled for this October 2024, has been postponed by a year. However, we are excited to confirm that our fantastic event will make a triumphant return to the Scotiabank Theatre in downtown Toronto, showcasing five nights of thrilling new horror, thriller, and sci-fi films from October 15-19, 2025!THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT & UNDERSTANDING OF MY HEALTH CHALLENGESSince its inception in 2006 at the iconic Bloor Cinema, the Toronto After Dark film festival has been a source of immense joy for me. The opportunity to engage with the passionate fan community, which has become like a second family, has been truly rewarding. I am grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout my battle with Stage IV Head & Neck cancer over the past three years. Your encouragement has been a source of strength for me and my loved ones as I defied the odds and surpassed my initial one-year prognosis.Despite the challenges posed by my health, I was fortunate enough to be able to work with my team to organize the last two editions of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. It was a pleasure to return to the stage and introduce our talented filmmakers to our enthusiastic audiences in both 2022 and 2023. I had hoped to continue this tradition with a third event this year, but unfortunately, my health has taken a turn for the worse in 2024. As a result, I have had to make the difficult decision to postpone this year's festival.PASSING THE TORCH ON, SO THE TORONTO AFTER DARK FLAME CAN BURN BRIGHTLY INTO THE FUTURE!As well as this year's postponement, it is with a heavy heart, after 17 wonderful years, I have made the difficult decision to permanently step down as Festival Director at the end of this year to concentrate fully on my continuing health battle. But rest assured, as Founder, I'll be carefully entrusting the future of our wonderful event to a trusted familiar pair of hands - my fellow founding Toronto After Dark staff member Peter Kuplowsky, who as many fans know has gone on to work wonders at TIFF, Fantastic Fest and many other great film events!As Festival Legacy Director, Peter will ensure that our event stays true to the expectations of our loyal fan and filmmaker base, while my wonderful extended festival staff, many of whom have been with our event for over 10 years, will continue to work alongside Peter to ensure Toronto After Dark's continuity and success. Rest assured, Toronto After Dark will stay true to its popular brand of being a fun, affordable, unpretentious, accessible, compact film showcase event, that theatrically screens crowd-pleasing genre films from around the world, in front of packed, delighted audiences in a prime downtown location!I will also try and stay involved, as a Senior Advisor to our beloved event. Health permitting, next year you might even spot me on occasion on the Red Carpet , doing what I love to do, taking a pic with our filmmakers and fans and our popular mascot, TADDY Bear! You can also continue to follow my Cancer Fight Journey at my Facebook Page and Instagram, and any well wishes are always appreciation.
* I label festivals as either destination or discovery festivals. A discovery festival in this context is one where you'd find more than your fair share of premieres and first run genre films - Fantasia, Sitges, Fantastic Fest, Bucheon in Korea, and midnight programs at SXSW, Sundance, Tribeca, etc. Those films then go on to the circuit and get programmed into destination festivals where the local, devout audience will find those big titles featured, like Toronto After Dark and the one I program for here in Canada as well, Saskatoon Fantastic.