Due to overcrowding in the prior year, the Gala presentations were moved from the 700-seat Towne Cinema to the 1,600-seat Elgin Theatre.

This year The American Nightmare retrospective on American horror films was organized by Canadian critic Robin Wood and Richard Lippe.

[4] Brian De Palma and George A. Romero attended the retrospective as guests.

[5][6] Also this year Industry programme trade forum was started by festival, which continued till 1991.

[4] The festival featured a special programme of films from Sweden, with Jörn Donner, the head of the Swedish Film Institute, and nine Swedish filmmakers attending.