‘Belfast’ Wins TIFF 2021 People’s Choice Award

Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday night. The prize is often considered a bellwether for the Academy Awards, as the winner for the past nine years has gone on to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination. This includes last year’s winner “Nomadland,” which went on to win Best Picture. See the full list of the 2021 TIFF winners below.

The People’s Choice Award winner based on votes, as revealed during the ceremony, was between “The Power of the Dog,” “Belfast,” and “Scarborough.”

Alongside the announcement of the People’s Choice Award, prizes were doled out to “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” star Jessica Chastain (TIFF Tribute Actor Award supported by the Tory Family), “The Power of the Dog” star Benedict Cumberbatch (TIFF Tribute Actor Award), “Dune” director Denis Villeneuve (TIFF Ebert Director Award), filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin (Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media supported by Participant Media), filmmaker Danis Goulet (TIFF Emerging Talent Award presented by L’Oréal Paris and supported by MGM), cinematographer Ari Wegner (TIFF Variety Artisan Award), and Dionne Warwick (TIFF Special Tribute Award), subject of the TIFF documentary “Don’t Make Me Over.”

Presenters included Kirsten Dunst, Rebecca Ferguson, director Michael Showalter, Eva Longoria, and David Oyelowo. TIFF co-heads Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente were also on hand to dole out prizes.

People’s Choice Award: “Belfast” (dir. Kenneth Branagh)

People’s Choice Documentary Award: “The Rescue” (dirs. E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin)

People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award: “Titane” (dir. Julia Ducournau)

Platform Prize: “Yuni” (dir. Kamila Andini)

FIPRESCI Jury Award: “Anatolian Leopard” (dir. Emre Kayis)

NETPAC Award: “Costa Brava, Lebanon” (dir. Mounia Akl)

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