The 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has come and gone. By the time of publication, I’ve watched 64 movies from this year’s festival and will have thoughts to share on each. Over the coming weeks, I will review the films that will steal your heart and captivate your mind.
TIFF is a special festival because it is known as the people’s festival where all are welcome, unlike other festivals like Cannes, which are more exclusive and require industry connections to attend.
During the festival, Toronto came alive with the King Street area flooded with cinephiles, people looking to catch a glimpse of their favourite celebrities and emerging talent on both sides of the camera.
TIFF offers something for everyone, and while the annual September festival is the main attraction, it is a year-round enterprise.
TIFF hands out several awards, with the top honour, the People’s Choice Award, often leading to success at the Academy Awards. This year’s winners are:
People’s Choice Award: La Bola Negra
International People’s Choice Award: Elsinore
People’s Choice Documentary Award: Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been
People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award: Ladies and Gentlemen: Brian Mulroney
Platform Prize: Angh
Special Jury Award: Brace Your Heart
Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film: Mammalia
Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film: Fight Kid
Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film: Into the Betaverse
FIPRESCI Prize: Ancestors
NETPAC Award: Thirteen in Gaza
Best Canadian Discovery Award: Smudge the Blades
Best Canadian Feature Film Award: Sunburn
All of a Sudden directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Being Heumann directed by Sian Heder
Club Kid directed by Jordan Firstman
Everest: The Other Side directed by Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
I Play Rocky directed by Peter Farrelly
Josephine directed by Beth de Araujo
La Bola Negra directed by Javier Ambrossi, Javier Calvo
The Debut directed by Jesse Eisenberg
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York directed by Noah Segan
Wild Horse Nine directed by Martin McDonagh
