. From international cinema to Canadian film to LGBTQ+ features, Cowan was a committed advocate to broadening moviegoers’ tastes.
Born in Hamilton, Cowan began his film career at TIFF in 1981, when he volunteered for the organization. After returning to TIFF as a staffer in the box office and print-traffic departments for several years, he began programming for the festival in 1989. That year, at the suggestion of then director of programming Piers Handling, Cowan helped create the inaugural Midnight Madness program of cult cinema that remains one of the festival’s most popular slates.
In 2004, Cowan returned to TIFF to serve as the organization’s co-director, and then in 2008 took on the role of the inaugural artistic director of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, the organization’s new downtown headquarters.