Ten days of movies (and movies and movies and movies) are now over, as the Toronto International Film Festival closes things off today with its annual awards brunch. And as always, it’s the People’s Choice Award that can see the Oscar fortune of a movie start to unfurl, and set a path for the months to come.
And this year, TIFF ticket buyers voted with their ticket stubs for "The Imitation Game" (read our review) to take the big prize. While this is obviously a big win for The Weinstein Company, who spent seven million dollars snapping up the rights early this year, it’ll be interesting to see how this shapes the conversation in the Toronto versus Telluride "premiere" battle. While the Benedict Cumberbatch-starring film got its World Premiere in Colorado, the win here will undoubtedly be the lede in any Oscar talk. So does it really matter that it screened elsewhere first?
Certainly, on the ground in Toronto, it was the movie that rose to the top of the conversation following its screening, and thus far, it has received very, very positive buzz. Clearly, audiences have been taken with it, but the season is still young, the battlefield has many contenders and it’s a long way from Toronto to the Oscars. But leaving Canada with this prize is certainly a nice boost. Full list of winners below.
People’s Choice Award: "The Imitation Game," directed by Morten Tyldum
People’s Choice Award For Documentary: "Beats Of The Anatov," directed by Hajooj Kuka
People’s Choice Award For Midnight Madness: "What We Do In Shadows," directed by Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi
Best Canadian Feature Film: "Felix and Meira," Directed by Maxime Giroux
Best Canadian First Feature Film: "Bang Bang Baby," Directed by Jeffrey St. Jules
Prizes of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Special Presentations Section: "Time Out of Mind," Directed by Oren Moverman
Prizes of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery Section: "May Allah Bless France!," Directed by Abd Al Malik
NETPAC Award For Best Asian Film: "Margarita, With a Straw," Directed by Shonali Bose
Best International Short Film: "A Single Body," Directed by Sotiris Dounoukos
Best Canadian Short Film: "The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer," Directed by Randall Okita
Catch up on all our coverage of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival by clicking here.