MUMBAI: Keeping everyone guessing about the location of the 2010 edition, the organizers of IIFA have gone ahead and announced the venue of the 2011 edition of International Indian Film Academy Awards.
Canada will play host to the 2011 IIFA. The IIFA weekend and IDEA IIFA Awards ceremony will be held in the Greater Toronto Area from 16 to 19 June.
Canada has an Indo-Canadian and Asian population of over 960,000, from which the Greater Toronto Area has a population of 550,000 Indians. Having traveled to over 9 countries and 3 continents in the last decade, it will be IIFA‘s premiere in North America in Canada‘s largest city, Toronto.
The IIFA Weekend caps a four-day celebration of Indian Cinema, including a Film Festival, various film briefings, a world-wide film premiere, a trade and business Forum, an IIFA Foundation event and escalate into the night of nights, the IDEA IIFA Awards.
Speaking on hosting IIFA 2011 in Ontario, Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario said, "Ontario is thrilled to host the 2011 International Indian Academy Awards. I thank IIFA for the great honor of hosting the weekend in Toronto.
"With so many film buffs living in Ontario, Indian film stars and executives will feel right at home. We look forward to an eventful and successful Weekend and Awards."
Known for its cultural, entertainment and metropolitan scene, Toronto is an ideal choice for IIFA 2011. As Canada‘s economic capital, Toronto is considered a global city and is one of the top financial centres in the world. The Toronto International Film Festival welcomes more than 450,000 people every year, including film executives, movie buffs and everyday citizens in a celebration of film.
The International Indian Film Academy is also looking at fringe activities that will take place in parts of Brampton and Mississauga and will work very closely with the Toronto International Film Festival, Luminato - The Toronto Festival of Arts and the Rogers Centre, where the IDEA IIFA Awards 2011 will be held.
Averred IIFA Director Viraf Sarkari, "We are pleased to announce IIFA‘s North American premiere in Toronto, Ontario in 2011. The city has much to offer and the Weekend and Awards promise to be bigger than ever as IIFA steps into Canada.
We have earlier experienced a great response in Toronto with The Unforgettable Tour and hope to find the same experience with IIFA 2011."
The decision for the 2010 edition of the awards will be announced soon.
