The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival has come to an end and, as is tradition, the festival announced its annual People’s Choice Award winner. Usually, it’s a movie destined for a Best Picture nomination, something the festival touts proudly, but not this year. Surprisingly, Mike Flanagan‘s “The Life of Chuck,” which is still looking for distribution, won the award.
An adaptation of the Stephen King novella of the same name, “Chuck” stars Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamil, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay, and newcomers Benjamin Pajak, and Cody Flanagan, among others. The Playlist’s positive review heralded the dancing and singing performances in the film, even if it felt the story was weighed down by too much exposition. Still, it earned a B from The Playlist and currently has a positive 66 on Metacritic and an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics who have seen it so far. Notably, it has not been seen as a hot acquisition title, but this certainly helps its prospects of finding a home.
Second place went to Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Perez” and third place went to Sean Baker’s “Anora.” While films that have world premiered at the Venice, Telluride, and Sundance Film Festivals have won the People’s Choice Award this century, the last time a Cannes movie won was “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” way back in 2000. Still a good sign for those expected Best Picture players, even if the voters are not industry nor AMPAS members whatsoever.
Notably, 15 of the last 16 People’s Choice Award winners earned Best Picture nominations. The last film not to do so was Nadine Labaki‘s “Where Do We Go Now?” in 2011. Handed out since 1978, only six winners of this prize have ever won the Academy Award for Best Picture, “Chariots of Fire” (1981), “American Beauty” (1999), “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), “The King’s Speech” (2010), “12 Years A Slave” (2013), and “Nomadland” (2020). Perhaps not winning is better news for “Anora” or “Emilia Perez” in that respect.
In the other People’s Choice Award Categories, Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance” won the Midnight Madness Award followed by John Hsu’s “Dead Talents Society” and Andrew DeYoung’s “Friendship.” Mike Downie’s “The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal,” a very Canadian-focused film, took the Documentary award followed by Josh Greenbaum’s “Will & Harper” and Ali Weinstein’s “Your Tomorrow.”
In the Short Film category, Malin Ingrid Johansson’s “Deck B” won the Short Cuts International Film Award with Job Roggeveen’s “Quota” earning an honorable mention. Bec Pecaut’s “Are You Scared To Be Yourself Because You Think That You Might Fail?” took the Short Cuts Best Canadian Film Award.
In the Platform competition, Carlos Marques-Marcet’s “The Will Be Dust” came in first place while Sylvia Chang’s “Daughter Daughter” earned an honorable mention. This year’s jury included Atom Egoyan, Hur Jin-ho, and Jane Schoenbrun.
The Best Canadian Film went to Sophie Deraspe’s “Shepherds.”
K’naan Warsame’s “Mother Mother” won the juried FIPRESCI Award while Sue Kim’s “The Last Sea of Women” was honored with the NETPAC Award.
Catch up with The Playlist’s complete coverage from the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival