2009 Toronto International Film Festival Award Winners

Surely some of you noticed the lowest possible coverage of this fest that I did and perhaps some are wondering why. When I saw the fest site I got strongly disappointed as it was REALLY not user friendly and totally oriented to sales.

As we have been noticing year after year Internet is a great sales and advertising medium that’s growing exponentially. But we that follow festivals have also noticed that Festivals web sites have been doing a lot more than just promoting sales, they have been making the festival REALLY accessible to the World for the pleasure of us cinephiles. Just see what Cannes, Venice, San Sebastian and this year even London fests are doing in their web sites. TIFF, being perhaps the largest fest in North America, did not do it last year and did not do it this year. Let’s hope that next year they will consider opening and sharing the festival with US that have to enjoy from afar one of our greatest passions: films.

Anyway, here are the award winners.

Best Canadian Feature Film: Cairo Time, Ruba Nadda
Special Jury Citation: La Donation (The Legacy), Bernard Émond

Best Canadian First Feature Film: The Wild Hunt, Alexandre Franchi

FIPRESCI Prize: Paltadacho munis (The Man Beyond the Bridge), Laxmikant Shetgaonkar, India
FIPRESCI Prize for Special Presentations: Hadewijch, Bruno Dumont, France

People’s Choice Award: Push by Sapphire, Lee Daniels, USA (lesbian interest)
First Runner-up: Mao’s Last Dancer, Bruce Beresford, Australia (seems interesting!)
Second Runner-up: Micmacs à tire-larigot (Micmacs), Jean-Pierre Jeunet, France

People’s Choice Award Documentary: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls, Leanne Pooley, New Zealand (lesbian interest)
Runner-up: Capitalism: A Love Story, Michael Moore, USA
People’s Choice Award Midnight Madness: The Loved Ones, Sean Byrne, Australia

Best Short Film: Danse Macabre, Pedro Pires, Canada
The jury remarked: "There was one film that had such devastating beauty, that watching it was having fireworks shattering your heart. A prayer for the dying, a love song to the living, everyone must see this beautiful work." (From clips I can assure that it’s true! Amazing visuals!)
Honorable Mention: The Armoire, Jamie Travis, Canada

To read the press release go here.