The Toronto International Film Festival leadership announced the juried and audience award winners as the 39th annual event wrapped on Sunday (September 14).

The festival ran from September 4-14 and was due to climax on Sunday evening with a free screening of Morten Tylden’s The Imitation Game, winner of the $15,000 Grolsch People’s Choice Awards Festival Film.

The award confirms the film’s status as a leading awards contender, however a significant number of potential rivals are yet to be seen.

Organisers also claimed the event generated record delegate attendance – up 7% on 2013 with more than 5,000 delegates from 80 countries, powered in part by a 217% year-on-year rise in the number of Chinese industry attendees, 59% in South Africa and 16% in the US. Industry delegates included 1,900 buyers.

In a departure from the leadership’s traditional policy of not emphasising the business side of events, top brass on Sunday trumpeted the second-week avalanche of acquisitions, including the record deal for the Chris Rock comedy Top Five.

Paramount reportedly paid $12.5m for worldwide rights following the deal with UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers.

“The TIFF Industry office has done an incredible job in ensuring that delegates are well equipped to access opportunities to make connections throughout their time at the festival,” said TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey.

Vimeo Award For Best Canadian Short Film
($10,000 cash prize):
Randall Okita, The Weatherman And The Shadowboxer;

Vimeo Award For Best International Short Film ($10,000 cash prize):
Sotiris Dounoukos, A Single Body (Un Seul Corps);

Canada Goose Award For Best Canadian Feature ($30,000 cash prize):
Maxime Giroux, Felix And Meira (Félix Et Meira);

City Of Toronto Award For Best Canadian First Feature Film ($15,000 cash prize):
Jeffrey St Jules, Bang Bang Baby;

FIPRESCI prize for Special Presentations:
Oren Moverman, Time Out of Mind;

FIPRESCI prize for Discovery:
Abd Al Malik, May Allah Bless France! (Qu’Allah Bénisse La France!); and

NETPAC Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere:
Shonali Bose, Margarita, With A Straw.

This year marked the 37th year that Toronto audiences were able to cast a ballot for their favourite film.

Groslch People’s Choice Awards Festival Film ($15,000 cash prize):
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game;

The Grolsch People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award:
Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, What We Do In The Shadows; and

The Grolsch People’s Choice Documentary Award:
Hajooj Kuka, Beats Of The Antonov.

 

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