The belle of the ball at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival was definitely Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical charmer, Belfast. Already having earned rave reviews out of Venice, the film is now poised to be a Best Picture Oscar contender now that it has also earned TIFF’s People’s Choice Award.
For context, the last nine TIFF People’s Choice Award winners have all gone on to be Best Picture nominees. Belfast won over second place film Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson’s Scarborough, and Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog which finished third.
Other awards were given to Jessica Chastain for her performance in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, taking the TIFF Tribute Actor Award supported by the Tory Family; Benedict Cumberbatch the TIFF Tribute Actor Award for The Power of the Dog, and Dune director Denis Villeneuve the TIFF Ebert Director Award.
Full list of winners below, and our reviews from TIFF here.
People’s Choice Award: “Belfast” (dir. Kenneth Branagh)
People’s Choice Documentary Award: “The Rescue” (dirs. E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin)
People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award: “Titane” (dir. Julia Ducournau)
Platform Prize: “Yuni” (dir. Kamila Andini)
FIPRESCI Jury Award: “Anatolian Leopard” (dir. Emre Kayis)
NETPAC Award: “Costa Brava, Lebanon” (dir. Mounia Akl)
