Salah Bachir
Encyclopedia
Salah Bachir is a Canadian philanthropist, patron of the arts, entrepreneur, magazine publisher and the President of Cineplex Media, which represents 95% of cinema advertising in Canada. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.
In 1999, Bachir launched Famous magazine — soon joined by Famous Québec — a movie/entertainment magazine distributed through the Famous Players movie theatre chain (since purchased by Cineplex Entertainment
LP). In 2010 Famous changed its name to Cineplex Magazine and Famous Québec became Le magazine Cineplex. Cineplex Magazine’s circulation is among the highest of any Canadian magazine, with 700,000 copies per month.
In 1999, Bachir also became President of Famous Players Media, a partnership company he formed with Famous Players and Viacom to sell in-theatre advertising. Famous Players Media was bought by Cineplex Entertainment
LP as part of its purchase of Famous Players in 2005. Bachir continues to be president of this new division, Cineplex Media.
, Stephen Andrews and Attila Richard Lukacs
.
Compared to Cosimo de’ Medici by The Globe and Mail for his role in forging now-famous talent, Bachir has sponsored two shows of Lukacs’ work, “Attila Richard Lukacs: Works From the Collection of Salah Bachir” and “Attila Richard Lukacs: Detention.”
In 2006, 60 pieces from his Andy Warhol
collection were displayed at the Oakville Galleries in the “Wall to Wall Warhol” exhibit; the same gallery hosted an acclaimed show of Bachir’s Betty Goodwin
collection in the spring of 2010.
Bachir has been a Presenting Sponsor of Buddies in Bad Times
Theatre for many years and has been a leading patron of the “We’re Funny That Way” comedy festival since 2005. In his honour, the festival created “The Salah Bachir Award for Community Service,” a cash award presented every year to a person or group who has dedicated themselves to helping the LBGTT community.
Salah has provided both financial support and work from his collections to the Art Gallery of Ontario
, where a room is named for him in recognition of his contributions to contemporary art, the Oakville Galleries, which has also named a gallery in his honour, and the Morris & Helen Belkin Art Gallery at UBC in Vancouver. He has donated works of art to the National Gallery, the London Regional Gallery, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Rideau Hall
and the Canadiana Fund.
, the Art Gallery of Ontario
, Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research
, the Inside Out Film and Video Festival
, the Variety Club of Ontario, The Waladi Foundation and The Lebanon Project.
Bachir is Chair of The 519 Church Street Community Centre Capital Campaign. Under his direction, the campaign raised more than $6-million to expand the facilities at the community centre in Toronto's Church and Wellesley neighbourhood. His fundraising efforts exceeded projections by $2-million. In May 2010 the 519’s new wing was named in Bachir’s honour to recognize him as the driving force behind the effort, as well as his own pledge of $1 million.
He has produced numerous charity events featuring big-name celebrities, including 519 fundraisers with Sandra Bernhard
, Eartha Kitt
, Andrea Martin
and Joan Rivers
, and The Premiere Video Awards, which raised money for Variety Club, with such special honourees as Norman Jewison
, David Cronenberg
, Atom Egoyan
, Ginger Rogers
and Christopher Plummer
in attendance.
In 2005 Bachir was selected to be Grand Marshal of the 25th Annual Pride Parade in Toronto and was given an award in recognition of his humanitarian efforts.
He was honoured by Toronto’s renowned theatre company Famous People Players
as its Man of the Year in 2008.
And he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Ontario Premiere Dalton McGuinty
at the Toronto Pride Gala in 2009. Also in 2009 he was named Honorary Patron For Life by The 519 Community Centre.
Professional life
Bachir began his career in publishing in 1979 with the launch of Videomania, Canada’s first publication targeted to consumers of a new home entertainment format: the video cassette. In 1984, Bachir started a trade publication, Premiere, to serve the needs of the burgeoning video distribution and retail sectors. He also produced an annual trade show, Focus on Video.In 1999, Bachir launched Famous magazine — soon joined by Famous Québec — a movie/entertainment magazine distributed through the Famous Players movie theatre chain (since purchased by Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment LP , is the largest film exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,351 screens. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec...
LP). In 2010 Famous changed its name to Cineplex Magazine and Famous Québec became Le magazine Cineplex. Cineplex Magazine’s circulation is among the highest of any Canadian magazine, with 700,000 copies per month.
In 1999, Bachir also became President of Famous Players Media, a partnership company he formed with Famous Players and Viacom to sell in-theatre advertising. Famous Players Media was bought by Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment LP , is the largest film exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,351 screens. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec...
LP as part of its purchase of Famous Players in 2005. Bachir continues to be president of this new division, Cineplex Media.
Patron of the Arts
Bachir is an avid art collector and enthusiastic patron of mostly Canadian art. His diverse collection of more than 3,000 pieces features many works by Canadian artists such as Betty GoodwinBetty Goodwin
Betty Roodish Goodwin, OC was a Canadian printmaker, sculptor, painter, and installation artist.- Early life :...
, Stephen Andrews and Attila Richard Lukacs
Attila Richard Lukacs
Attila Richard Lukacs is a Canadian artist.-Biography:In 1985, Lukacs graduated from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver, British Columbia and is a member of the loosely defined category of 'Young Romantics'. He moved to Berlin in 1986, working at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien...
.
Compared to Cosimo de’ Medici by The Globe and Mail for his role in forging now-famous talent, Bachir has sponsored two shows of Lukacs’ work, “Attila Richard Lukacs: Works From the Collection of Salah Bachir” and “Attila Richard Lukacs: Detention.”
In 2006, 60 pieces from his Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
collection were displayed at the Oakville Galleries in the “Wall to Wall Warhol” exhibit; the same gallery hosted an acclaimed show of Bachir’s Betty Goodwin
Betty Goodwin
Betty Roodish Goodwin, OC was a Canadian printmaker, sculptor, painter, and installation artist.- Early life :...
collection in the spring of 2010.
Bachir has been a Presenting Sponsor of Buddies in Bad Times
Buddies in Bad Times
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is a Canadian professional theatre company.Based in Toronto, Ontario and founded in 1978 by Matt Walsh, Jerry Ciccoritti, and Sky Gilbert, Buddies in Bad Times is dedicated to "the promotion of queer theatrical expression"....
Theatre for many years and has been a leading patron of the “We’re Funny That Way” comedy festival since 2005. In his honour, the festival created “The Salah Bachir Award for Community Service,” a cash award presented every year to a person or group who has dedicated themselves to helping the LBGTT community.
Salah has provided both financial support and work from his collections to the Art Gallery of Ontario
Art Gallery of Ontario
Under the direction of its CEO Matthew Teitelbaum, the AGO embarked on a $254 million redevelopment plan by architect Frank Gehry in 2004, called Transformation AGO. The new addition would require demolition of the 1992 Post-Modernist wing by Barton Myers and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg...
, where a room is named for him in recognition of his contributions to contemporary art, the Oakville Galleries, which has also named a gallery in his honour, and the Morris & Helen Belkin Art Gallery at UBC in Vancouver. He has donated works of art to the National Gallery, the London Regional Gallery, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
and the Canadiana Fund.
Philanthropy
Bachir has been a member of numerous boards and committees in support of the arts, the gay community and underprivileged children, including the Canadian Film CentreCanadian Film Centre
The Canadian Film Centre is an advanced training institution for film, television and new media. Based in Toronto, Canada, CFC offers residents education, industry partnerships and production experience...
, the Art Gallery of Ontario
Art Gallery of Ontario
Under the direction of its CEO Matthew Teitelbaum, the AGO embarked on a $254 million redevelopment plan by architect Frank Gehry in 2004, called Transformation AGO. The new addition would require demolition of the 1992 Post-Modernist wing by Barton Myers and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg...
, Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research
Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research
The Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research is a Canadian charitable foundation whose goal is to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS to increase funds for research. All of CANFAR’s fundraising efforts are geared towards raising money to fund Canadian HIV/AIDS research...
, the Inside Out Film and Video Festival
Inside Out Film and Video Festival
The Inside Out Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival is an annual film festival in Toronto, Ontario, devoted to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender film and video works...
, the Variety Club of Ontario, The Waladi Foundation and The Lebanon Project.
Bachir is Chair of The 519 Church Street Community Centre Capital Campaign. Under his direction, the campaign raised more than $6-million to expand the facilities at the community centre in Toronto's Church and Wellesley neighbourhood. His fundraising efforts exceeded projections by $2-million. In May 2010 the 519’s new wing was named in Bachir’s honour to recognize him as the driving force behind the effort, as well as his own pledge of $1 million.
He has produced numerous charity events featuring big-name celebrities, including 519 fundraisers with Sandra Bernhard
Sandra Bernhard
Sandra Bernhard is an American comedian, singer, actress and author. She first gained attention in the late 1970s with her stand-up comedy in which she often bitterly critiques celebrity culture and political figures. Bernhard is number 97 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of...
, Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
, Andrea Martin
Andrea Martin
Andrea Louise Martin is an American and Canadian actress and comedienne. She has appeared in films such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, on stage in productions such as My Favorite Year, Fiddler on the Roof and Candide, and in the television series, SCTV.-Personal life:Martin, the oldest of three...
and Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
, and The Premiere Video Awards, which raised money for Variety Club, with such special honourees as Norman Jewison
Norman Jewison
Norman Frederick Jewison, CC, O.Ont is a Canadian film director, producer, actor and founder of the Canadian Film Centre. Highlights of his directing career include In the Heat of the Night , The Thomas Crown Affair , Fiddler on the Roof , Jesus Christ Superstar , Moonstruck , The Hurricane and The...
, David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg
David Paul Cronenberg, OC, FRSC is a Canadian filmmaker, screenwriter and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror or venereal horror genre. This style of filmmaking explores people's fears of bodily transformation and infection. In his films, the...
, Atom Egoyan
Atom Egoyan
Atom Egoyan, OC is a critically acclaimed Armenian-Canadian stage director and film director. Egoyan made his career breakthrough with Exotica...
, Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
and Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
in attendance.
Honours
In 1996, the Variety Club of Ontario recognized Bachir's leadership in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars through various events by awarding him the Club’s highest individual honour, the Heart Award. The Club also established an award in Bachir's honour at Variety Village, a sports facility for children with special needs. The Salah Bachir Leadership Award was given to a team member voted by his or her teammates as having made the greatest contribution to the team.In 2005 Bachir was selected to be Grand Marshal of the 25th Annual Pride Parade in Toronto and was given an award in recognition of his humanitarian efforts.
He was honoured by Toronto’s renowned theatre company Famous People Players
Famous People Players
Famous People Players is a black light puppetry theatre company. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and tours worldwide. It is a non-profit organization which employs people with physical and intellectual disabilities...
as its Man of the Year in 2008.
And he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Ontario Premiere Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
at the Toronto Pride Gala in 2009. Also in 2009 he was named Honorary Patron For Life by The 519 Community Centre.