Jackie, Free Fire and In Between triumph at Toronto
- La La Land wins the People’s Choice Award
There is a continental flavour sprinkled across several of the awards bestowed at the just-concluded Toronto International Film Festival, with several of the winners being European co-productions. Pablo Larrain’s Jackie [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (US/Chile/France) won the Platform Prize. Platform is the festival’s juried programme that champions director’s cinema from around the world. The jury this year comprised filmmakers Brian De Palma and Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, and actress Zhang Ziyi. The jury said, “Our decision was unanimous. We found one film that combined an extraordinary script with precise direction and unforgettable acting. For its exploration of the myth of American Camelot and its preeminent performance by Natalie Portman, the 2016 prize goes to Jackie.” The award comes with a $25,000 cash prize. The jury gave a Special Mention to Khyentse Norbu’s Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait (Bhutan/Hong Kong).
The NETPAC Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere went to Maysaloun Hamoud’s In Between [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maysaloun Hamoud
film profile] (Israel/France). The jury remarked, “A confident debut about three contemporary Palestinian women living in Tel Aviv whose strong bond of sisterhood supports an exploration and shift in relationships, careers and sexuality.”
The coveted People’s Choice Award, voted for by festival audiences, went to Damien Chazelle’s La La Land (US). The award offers a $15,000 cash prize. The People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award went to Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (UK/France) and the People’s Choice Documentary Award to Raoul Peck for I Am Not Your Negro [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (US/France).
The FIPRESCI Prize for the Discovery programme was awarded to Mbithi Masya for Kati Kati [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Kenya/Germany). The jury remarked, “With a generous and poetic tone, not without a degree of anger at personal and political injustice, FIPRESCI is pleased to present the prize in the Discovery programme to an exciting and unique new voice in cinema, Mbithi Masya, for his debut feature, Kati Kati.”
The Discovery Programme Filmmakers Award went to Yanillys Perez for Jeffrey [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Dominican Republic/France). The jury remarked, “A true collaboration between subject and storyteller, Jeffrey weaves vérité and socially conscious observation together with poetic moments of magical realism. With this beautiful combination, Perez not only captures the boundless spirit and imagination of her protagonist, but also offers new possibilities for narrative filmmaking. We believe people will love discovering Jeffrey.”
The City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film went to Johnny Ma’s Old Stone (Canada/China). The award carries a cash prize of $15,000. Best Canadian Feature Film went to Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie for Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves. This accolade carries a cash prize of $30,000.
Here is the complete list of prizewinners:
Toronto Platform Prize
Jackie [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Pablo Larrain
Special Mention: Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait – Khyentse Norbu
NETPAC Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere
In Between [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maysaloun Hamoud
film profile] – Maysaloun Hamoud
People’s Choice Award
La La Land – Damien Chazelle
First Runner Up: Lion [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Garth Davis
Second Runner Up: Queen of Katwe – Mira Nair
People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award
Free Fire [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Ben Wheatley
First Runner Up: The Autopsy of Jane Doe [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – André Øvredal
Second Runner Up: Raw [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Julia Ducournau
film profile] - Julia Ducournau
People’s Choice Documentary Award
I Am Not Your Negro [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Raoul Peck
First Runner Up: ABACUS: Small Enough to Jail – Steve James
Second Runner Up: Before the Flood – Fisher Stevens
Discovery programme Filmmakers Award
Jeffrey [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – Yanillys Perez
FIPRESCI Prize for the Discovery programme
Kati Kati [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – Mbithi Masya
FIPRESCI Prize for Special Presentations
I Am Not Madame Bovary – Feng Xiaogang
City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film
Old Stone – Johnny Ma
Best Canadian Feature Film
Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves – Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie
Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film
Mutants – Alexandre Dostie
Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film
Imago – Raymund Ribay Gutierrez
Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.
