Award Winners Unveiled at TIFF 2021

Some of the star wattage returned for the 46th Toronto International Film Festival which had exclusive in-person screenings along with virtual offerings and celebrities such as Jessica Chastain, Benedict Cumberbatch and Denis Villeneuve make appearances at the TIFF Tribute Awards.  In total, almost 4000 industry and press professionals watched 105 market screenings either from Toronto or abroad.   Protocols were put in place and as it stands there was just a single case reported of an attendee testing positive for COVID-19.

Check out all of our TIFF coverageIn a press release, TIFF Co-Heads Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey stated, “Our lineup showcased beloved auteurs alongside fresh voices in filmmaking, including numerous women powerhouses. TIFF welcomed guest press, industry, international stars, and directors back to the city and into cinemas. The sweeping range in cinematic storytelling from around the world is a testament to the uniqueness of the films that are being made. We’re so grateful and proud of this year’s Festival.”

Receiving the prestigious TIFF 2021 People’s Choice Award is the semi-autobiographical Belfast by Kenneth Branagh that revisits his Irish childhood, the People’s Choice Documentary Award went to The Rescue co-directed by E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin which recounts the international effort to recover the Thai soccer team trapped in a cave and the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award was lauded to car romance Titane by Julia Ducournau.

As for the winner of the Platform Prize the jury led by Riz Ahmed declared, “The jury was moved by a film that brings a fresh, intimate perspective to a coming-of-age story, marked by a subtle structure, delicate framing, and lush cinematography. For drawing us into a unique inner world too rarely seen on screen, the 2021 Platform Prize goes to Yuni, directed by Kamila Andini.”

Other winners include:

FIPRESCI Jury Award:

Anatolian Leopard by Emre Kayiş

NETPAC Award:

Costa Brava, Lebanon by Mounia Akl

Shawn Mendes Foundation Changemaker Award:

Scarborough by Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson

Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film

Ste. Anne by Rhayne Vermette

Amplify Voices Award:

The Gravedigger’s Wife by Khadar Ayderus Ahmed

A Night of Knowing Nothing by Payal Kapadia

IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Film: 

Displaced by Samir Karahoda

IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film:

Angakusajaujuq – The Shaman’s Apprentice by Zacharias Kunuk

IMDbPro Short Cuts Share Her Journey Award:

ASTEL by Ramata-Toulaye Sy

The 46th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 9-18, 2021, and for more information visit tiff.net.    

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.

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