As part of their celebrations of Toronto’s 175^th birthday, Cinematheque Ontario will be hosting Toronto on Film from Oct. 9 to 22; a series that examines the development of Toronto’s cinematic history. This series coincides with the publication of an anthology by the same name that examines the development of feature filmmaking in this city through seminal essays by The Toronto Star’s columnist Geoff Pevere, Toronto International Film Festival Group CEO Piers Handling, and more with a glossary listing 175 key films.

Toronto on Film offers a unique opportunity for filmgoers to see Toronto through, literally, a different lens.

Steve Gravestock, the author of Don Owen: Notes on a Filmmaker and His Culture, says in his essay on the series, “What becomes immediately apparent when looking at these films as a group is that – while many evince global influences – there’s something very specifically Torontonian about them, reflecting the city’s development from an ultra-WASPy burgh to a vibrant, multi-cultural metropolis. The Toronto on Film series provides a rare opportunity to chart and enjoy the development of this varied and compelling film history.”

The series opens with Julian Roffman’s The Bloody Brood (1959), a cult classic that focuses on a gang of hipsters who decide to feed a young delivery boy a hamburger garnished with broken glass.  Other key films include David Cronenberg’s Videodrome (1983), and Robin Spry’s Flowers on a One-Way Street (1967), which will be accompanied by Ron Mann’s Dream Tower (1994), and his student short film The Strip (1973).

Other films in the series include Leslie McFarlane’s Toronto Boom Town (1951); Colin Brunton and Patrick Lee’s The Last Pogo (1978), Joyce Wieland and Hollis Frampton’s A and B in Ontario (1984), Clement Virgo’s Save My Lost Nigga’ Soul (1993), John L’Ecuyer’s Curtis’s Charm (1995) and Allan King’s Empz 4 Life (2006).

Toronto on Film also features special guest appearances including Patricia Rozema, who will introduce her film I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing (1988), Lisa Ray  (lead actress, Bollywood/Hollywood, 2002) and Reginald Harkema (Monkey Warfare, 2006).

Guest speakers and presenters, including members of the Toronto Film Critics’ Association, will also be in attendance. The series is supported by the city of Toronto.

The anthology Toronto on Film will be released on Dec. 1 and is currently available for pre-order at most book dealers. For more information about the film series, and to purchase tickets, check out cinemathequeontario.ca.