Anthony (Tony) Cianciotta, a Canadian film industry veteran of 50 years, has died. The well-regarded distribution and exhibition executive passed away peacefully on June 26. He was 85.
Cianciotta started his career in the film industry in 1965, in Toronto, as a key film buyer for the J. Arthur Rank Organization, which ultimately became Cineplex Odeon in 1980.
Following that, Cianciotta held a variety of prominent executive positions, including Vice President and General Manager at 20th Century Fox, Canada and Senior Vice President, Film at Cineplex Odeon, among others. He is perhaps most recognized for his tenure as Senior Vice President and General Manager of theatrical distribution at Alliance Releasing from 1992 to 1997.
Cianciotta is remembered for his ability to establish theatrical release strategies in Canada with great precision. From platforming groundbreaking films like Cinema Paradiso, Mediterraneo, The English Patient, Pulp Fiction and Trainspotting, to working on blockbuster such as the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, Jim Carrey breakout The Mask and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Under his direction, films consistently grossed well over the 10% benchmark of the North American box office.
Ellis Jacob, President and CEO of Cineplex, commented,“It is a sad time for our industry with the loss of a very special person who was one of the most passionate and dedicated to our business. Tony knew his movies and did an outstanding job in creating value. He never left a stone unturned whether it was work, relationships or charitable events. He will be missed but not forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Anna Maria Muccilli, and his family.”
Cianciotta was also a champion of Canadian productions, working closely with filmmakers that included Atom Egoyan, David Cronenberg, Jerry Ciccoritti and Sturla Gunnarsson as well as forging international relationships with the likes of Anthony Minghella, Giuseppe Tornatore, Gabriele Salvatores and Nanni Moretti.
Egoyan said,“Tony was a passionate cinephile and I loved working with him. We had so many beautiful conversations about the films we loved and this is a huge loss.”
Ciccoritti added, “I knew Tony for over 25 years. My career is inextricably wound up with his presence, his advice, his humor and his passion for cinema and for life – and the better for him. I loved him and I miss him and I am in his debt.”
Canadian filmmaker, Sturla Gunnarsson also noted, “When I first met Tony Cianciotta, my film Such A Long Journey was languishing in the hands of an indifferent distributor, destined for the oblivion that awaits most Canadian films. Tony screened and fell in love with the film, helped us recover the distribution rights and turned it into a hit. He brought the same passion and commitment to releasing the film as we had to making it – he was the distributor that every filmmaker dreams of working with. The film world is a smaller place without Tony and I’ll miss him.”
Cianciotta also had a long relationship with the Toronto International Film Festival. Said Piers Handling, former CEO and Executive Director of TIFF, “Tony was not only an astute and smart film distributor who was responsible for the success of many art house and foreign films in Canada over the decades, but he was a true lover of cinema who established deep and meaningful relations with filmmakers and the film industry. He was also a true gentleman, a man of his word who could always be trusted. His contribution will be missed by all who knew him.”
Tonya Williams, award-winning actress and Executive Director of Reelworld Film Festival and Reelworld Screen Institute, remarked, “Tony’s deep love for film was contagious. He was a member of Reelwold’s Board of Directors from 2017-2019 and played a significant role in helping to shape its programming. He also frequently shared his knowledge and experience in the Canadian industry with groups of our program participants. An amazing human being, he was an icon in our sector and passionate about all aspects of the film business. He will be missed, but his lasting impact on our industry will endure.”
Most recently, Cianciotta worked closely with content providers to produce long-form film and TV series for the international market, serving as an executive producer on the six-part, award-winning Netflix/City TV series, Bad Blood.
Other distinguished achievements included the 2014 Silver Spotlight Award from the Canadian Picture Pioneers; and an appointment by the Canadian Heritage Minister in 2004 to a three-member panel of experts studying the issue of Canadians’ access to public broadcasting services in languages other than English and French.
Cianciotta was also a mentor to aspiring filmmakers and was honored with the CESAR Award for Excellence in Teaching from Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), and was a guest lecturer at both Norman Jewison’s Canadian Film Centre and Queen’s University, Ontario.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
