The 2015 Toronto Film Fest announced that Lenny Abrahamson’s Room won this year’s People’s Choice Award.
The prize, often an awards season harbinger, has gone to films such as “American Beauty,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “The King’s Speech” and “12 Years a Slave” in the past.
The bestseller adaptation began its journey at the Telluride Film Festival two weeks ago, where it was one of the most popular films. It should be A24’s first best picture nominee to date, with Brie Larson a leading actress and 8-year-old Jacob Tremblay a supporting actor contenders.
Tom McCarthy’s well received “Spotlight” won the second runner-up designation.
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah’s “Black” won Toronto’s Discovery program award.
Short film prizes went to “Maman(s)” and “Overpass”; Andrew Cividino’s “Sleeping Giant” won best Canadian first feature; the best Canadian feature award went to Stephen Dunn’s “Closet Monster.”
The FIPRESCI honors were awarded to Marko Skop’s “Eva Nová” and Jonás Cuarón’s “Diesierto.”
Sion Sono’s “The Whispering Star” won the NETPAC award for world or international premiere.
The new juried Platform prize went to Alan Zweig’s “Hurt.”
Ilya Naishuller’s “Hardcore” won the People’s Choice Midnight Madness award.
Evgeny Afineevsky’s “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” won the People’s Choice documentary award.
