Precious wins People's Choice Award at 2009 TIFF
Cairo Time, The Topp Twins Among Award Winners at Toronto Film Fest
Sep 19, 2009
The 34th annual Toronto International Film Festival closed Saturday, September 19 with the announcement of the winners from the 10-day fest. Although not a competitive festival, Toronto does have awards of merit in a handful of categories, some of which are juried.
Cadillac People's Choice Award
Obviously the wordy title of Lee Daniel's Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire did not turn off festival audiences, who voted it the 2009 Cadillac People's Choice Award Winner. The film, backed by Executive Producer Oprah Winfrey who came to Toronto in person to support it, tells the story of a young black woman rising above years of physical abuse. The award includes a $15,000 cash prize plus a "custom" award by Cadillac.
Other Awards at TIFF 2009 Included:
Award for Best Canadian Short Film
Director Pedro Pires for Danse Macabre - a beautifully filmed dark ballet - based on a concept by Robert Lepage. The jury called it a film of devastating beauty, saying that "watching it was having fireworks shatter your heart." The jury also gave a shout out to director Jamie Travis for The Armoire, calling him an "exciting filmmaker with an original voice and an exquisite vision". The award, supported by the National Film Board of Canada, carries with it a $10,000 cash prize.
The SKYY Vodka Award for Best Canaian First Film
Director Alexandre Franchi for The Wild Hunt - a film set in the fantasy-reality of a large role-playing game, capturing the cosplay culture and the potentially dangerous intersection of the real and made-up worlds. The award includes a $10,000 cash prize.
The City of Toronto and Astral Media's "The Movie Network" Award for Best Canadian Feature Film
Director Ruba Nadda for Cairo Time which the jury called a "superbly directed lyrical waltz of longing and desire across disparate worlds." The award includes a $30,000 cash prize.
The Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery
Director Laxmikant Shetgaonkar for The Man Beyond the Bridge (India) for his graceful and nuanced story of a widowed forest ranger who develops an intimate relationship with a mentally ill woman and risks becoming an outcast from his community as a result.
The Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Special Presentations
Director Bruno Dumont for Hadewijch (France). The jury called the film a hypnotic study of the possibilities and consequences that arise from an absolute belief in God. Dumont has twice been awarded the Grand Prix at Cannes for L’humanité and Flandres.
Cadillac People's Choice Award for Documentary
Director Leanne Pooley's Topp Twins, about New Zealand’s finest lesbian country-and-western singers.
Cadillac People's Choice Award: Midnight Madness
Director Sean Byrne's for The Loved Ones - where a troubled teen’s prom dreams are shattered by a series of painful events that take place under the mirrored disco ball.
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