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The 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has concluded after 11 days, with Spanish film La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, winning the coveted People’s Choice Award.
Simon Stone’s Elsinore won the People’s Choice Award in the international category.
The winners were announced at a press conference at TIFF Lightbox. A total of 12 awards were presented across various categories, including four People’s Choice awards, the Platform Prize, two Canadian film awards, Short Cuts, FIPRESCI and NETPAC awards.
The People’s Choice Award, introduced in 1978 and selected through audience voting, is among TIFF’s most prominent honours. I Play Rocky, directed by Peter Farrelly, was the first runner-up, while Sean Heder’s Being Human was the second runner-up.
In the international category, Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love was the first runner-up and Hur Jin-ho’s The Assassin(s) the second runner-up.
Barry Avrich’s documentary Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been won the People’s Choice Documentary Award, while Matthew Rankin’s Ladies & Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney topped the Midnight Madness section.
India’s Theja Rio won the Platform Prize for Ang. The five-member international jury praised the film’s fresh perspective, bold filmmaking and distinctive storytelling. Rio received C$20,000.
Amanda Kernell’s Brace Your Heart (Garrat du Vaimu) received the Platform Jury Award.
Under a new rule, the winner of TIFF’s Platform Prize can now qualify directly for the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category if it is a non-English-language film.
Among the other winners, Mammalia, directed by Elia Kalogianni, won the Best International Short Film award, while Michael Del Monte’s Fight Kid won Best Canadian Short Film.
The FIPRESCI Prize went to Ancestors, directed by David Turpin, while Palestinian filmmaker Hossam Abu Dan’s Thirteen in Gaza won the NETPAC Award.
Cody Lightning’s Smudge the Blades won the Best Canadian Discovery Award, while Sunburn, directed by Sèrvir Pòblet, won Best Canadian Feature Film.
This year’s festival screened 294 films from 72 countries over 11 days. More than 800 stars and film professionals attended 98 red-carpet events, while nearly 2,000 accredited media representatives, around 7,000 TIFF: The Market delegates and 279 filmmakers from around the world attended the festival.
The 52nd TIFF is scheduled to take place from September 9 to 19 next year.