Toronto presents Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro with key to city

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow presented Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro with a key to the city on Thursday to honour his long-standing creative relationship with the city. 

"We are so grateful for Guillermo to choose Toronto as his creative home," Mayor Olivia Chow said during the ceremony. "Thank you for producing your films here." 

Del Toro — who lives part-time in Toronto — has shot several movies in the city, including The Shape of Water, for which he won Best Director and Best Picture at the 2018 Academy Awards. His upcoming Netflix film Frankenstein was also filmed in the city and will play at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. 

Del Toro said he has spent half of his 30-year career working in Toronto, calling it "the best place to make movies." 

"I have loved Toronto for so many years, and I am very happy that it loves me a little back," he said at the ceremony.

The presentation happened at Cinespace Studios, a group of television and film production facilities that has a location in Etobicoke. The studio renamed its Marine Terminal campus Thursday to Guillermo del Toro Stages to honour his contributions to the film industry and the city's cultural landscape, the city said in a news release. 

'It's all done in Toronto,' del Toro says

Del Toro said the honour is a landmark for him as he finishes work on Frankenstein, which he called his dream project. 

He said he will complete the sound mixing for the film at Company 3, a video production company on King Street W. 

"That's not a financial decision, that was a life commitment decision," del Toro said. 

"We're going to make the movies and stay and finish them here. We have shown that effects, visual work, colour correction, mixing, sound design — it's all done in Toronto." 

Del Toro said he first came to Toronto thirty years ago to meet famed Canadian director David Cronenberg. He ended up filming Mimic here, released in 1997, which he said was the most difficult shoot he ever had. 

"One would wonder, 'he should have run away,'" del Toro said. "But the crew was amazing, everybody was amazing." 

Del Toro said he's honoured to be a member of the Canadian Film Centre and to have taught many master classes at TIFF Lightbox. 

Both Chow and del Toro referred to his account on X, where he frequently spotlights bookstores in Toronto. 

"I followed you so I can find out even more about our city," Chow said, drawing laughter from those at the ceremony. 

Meanwhile, del Toro said that "two other things that sustain me, food and books, are great in Toronto."

'Incredibly well-deserved'

Marc Priestley, treasurer at the Revue Film Society, said del Toro's recognition was "incredibly well-deserved."

"It feels like it's the most Toronto story possible. The idea that someone who isn't from here comes to Toronto and falls in love with it for various reasons," he told CBC Toronto. 

Last year, del Toro joined supporters advocating for Revue Cinema, an independent theatre in Toronto, to retain current management as the building's landlords were seeking to take over operations.

Del Toro urged Chow in a post on X to help save the cinema.

"Can you help save the REVUE, one of Canada's most beloved, non-profit, cultural landmarks?" he wrote, tagging the mayor and posting a link to a petition with more than 25,000 signatures. "If not you, WHO can help? or HOW can I help?" 

The move was appreciated by Priestley, who said del Toro also showed up at the theater for a screening of one of his films, answered questions, signed posters, and spent time with staff and board members. 

"He spent way more time than we would ever expect," said Priestley. "He really didn't just pop in for five minutes and leave, you could tell he really enjoyed doing it."

Earlier this month, Chow presented the key to the city to Maurice and Robert Biancolin, owners of Carousel Bakery — a fixture in St. Lawrence Market that's known for its peameal bacon sandwich. 

Other recipients over the years include rapper Drake, comedian Mike Myers and the Toronto Raptors team that won the 2019 NBA championship. A full list is available on the city's website.