Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” captured the Toronto International Film Festival’s highly coveted people’s choice award, bolstering its Oscars chances. In addition, Zhao is the first director to win the award twice, coming after her 2020 victory for “Nomadland.”
Since the Academy expanded the best picture field in 2009, TIFF Audience Award winners have become reliable Oscar barometers. Films such as “Green Book” (2018) and “Nomadland” (2020) went on to claim the top prize, while others like “The Fabelmans” (2022) factored heavily into awards season. Only one winner, “Where Do We Go Now?” (2011), failed to secure a best picture nom.
Every other winner has claimed at least one Oscar. Last year’s winner, “The Life of Chuck,” which Neon delayed to 2025, faces an uphill battle this year to maintain that streak given its June release date, but it could show up in adapted screenplay.
The people’s choice category was created in 1978. Seven recipients won best picture at the Oscars, with five of those victories coming in the past two decades.
Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” was the first runner-up for the Canadian prize, which was followed by Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” in the third place spot. The audience prize for documentary went to “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” from Barry Avrich. The film looks at a former Israeli general and his attempts to rescue his family during the October 7 attacks.
The International People’s Choice winner was Park Chan-wook’s South Korean satirical thriller “No Other Choice,” ahead of runner-up “Sentimental Value” from Norwegian director Joachim Trier.
The Toronto Film Festival’s 50th edition was one of its starriest in years. And even though there may not have been the splashy sales that TIFF had been known for, several films could still land distribution, including Steven Soderbergh’s “The Christophers,” Mona Fastvold’s “The Testament of Ann Lee” and Daniel Roher’s “Tuner,” which garnered raves from critics.
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The full list of winners are below.
TIFF People’s Choice Award: “Hamnet”
First runner-up: “Frankenstein”
Second runner-up: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
TIFF People’s Choice International Award: “No Other Choice”
First runner-up: “Sentimental Value”
Second runner-up: “Homebound”
TIFF People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award: “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie”
First runner-up: “Obsession”
Second runner-up: “The Furious”
TIFF People’s Choice Documentary Award: “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue”
First runner-up: “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert”
Second runner-up: “You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution…”
From Variety US