41st Toronto International Film Festival Coverage: Day Eleven
September 18th, 2016 by Ian Evans
At an awards ceremony hosted at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, the 2016 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival came to a close with an awards ceremony. Here is a look at the winners.
SHORT CUTS AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM
The Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film went to Alexandre Dostie’s Mutants. The jury remarked, “Mutants takes a summer in Quebec and infuses it with a ribald lyricism. Awkward moments of sexual awakening paired with self cannibalism and self immolation rise it above standard nostalgia. It was a film that took chances with both its subject matter and humour, and framing it through the eyes of children. Congratulations.” The award offers a $10,000 cash prize.
SHORT CUTS AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
The Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film went to Raymund Ribay Gutierrez’s Imago. The jury remarked, “Some films are not easy to watch. But it’s a beautiful thing to find a filmmaker who has a daring voice. We feel that with this movie we witnessed a bold, cinematic statement, and we cannot wait to see what features this director will give to the world.” The award offers a $10,000 cash prize.
The jury gave honourable mentions to Or Sinai’s Anna, and Orlando von Einsiedel’s The White Helmets.
CITY OF TORONTO AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FIRST FEATURE FILM
The City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film went to Johnny Ma’s Old Stone (Lao shi). The jury remarked, “For its remarkably mature, powerfully rendered portrait of an innocent taxi driver caught in a proto-capitalist China, the jury is pleased to select Old Stone.” This award carries a cash prize of $15,000, made possible by the City of Toronto.
CANADA GOOSE AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM
The Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film went to Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie for Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves (Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n’ont fait que se creuser un tombeau). The jury remarked, “For its uncompromising, electrifying portrait of youthful idealism and democratic exhaustion in contemporary Canada, and for its capacity to stir both heart and mind, the jury is thrilled to select Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves.” This award carries a cash prize of $30,000 and a custom award, sponsored by Canada Goose.
THE PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF FILM CRITICS (FIPRESCI PRIZES)
The prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) for the Discovery programme was awarded to Mbithi Masya for Kati Kati. The jury remarked, “With a generous and poetic tone, not without a degree of anger at personal and political injustice, FIPRESCI is pleased to present the prize in the Discovery programme to an exciting and unique new voice in cinema, Mbithi Masya for his debut feature Kati Kati.”
The prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) for Special Presentations was awarded to Feng Xiaogang for I Am Not Madame Bovary. The jury remarked, “For its ambitious rendering of a woman’s Kafkaesque struggle as she takes on the Chinese legal system, and sophisticated play of both form and content, FIPRESCI presents the prize in the Special Presentations programme to Feng Xiaogang’s I Am Not Madame Bovary.”
NETPAC AWARD
As selected by a jury from the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema for the 5th consecutive year, the NETPAC Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere went to Maysaloun Hamoud’s In Between (Bar Bahar). The jury remarked, “A confident debut about three contemporary Palestinian women living in Tel Aviv whose strong bond of sisterhood supports an exploration and shift in relationships, careers, and sexuality.”
TORONTO PLATFORM PRIZE
The Toronto Platform Prize was awarded to Pablo Larraín for Jackie. The jury remarked, “Our decision was unanimous. We found one film that combined an extraordinary script with precise direction and unforgettable acting. For its exploration of the myth of American Camelot and its preeminent performance by Natalie Portman, the 2016 prize went to Jackie.” The award offers a $25,000 cash prize and a custom award.
The jury awarded a special mention to Khyentse Norbu’s Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait (he-mà he-mà), “for a film that is a metaphor for our time. In an age of technology, this film uses masks to reconnect its characters with human instinct and emotion.”
GROLSCH PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
In its 39th year, the Grolsch People’s Choice Award went to Damien Chazelle’s La La Land. The award offers a $15,000 cash prize and custom award, sponsored by Grolsch. The second runner up was Mira Nair’s Queen of Katwe. The first runner up was Garth Davis’s Lion.
The Grolsch People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award went to Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire. The second runner up was Julia Ducournau’s Raw. The first runner up was André Øvredal’s The Autopsy of Jane Doe.
The Grolsch People’s Choice Documentary Award went to Raoul Peck for I Am Not Your Negro.
The second runner up was Fisher Stevens’ Before the Flood. The first runner up was Steve James’ ABACUS: Small Enough to Jail.
DROPBOX DISCOVERY PROGRAMME FILMMAKERS AWARD
The Dropbox Discovery Programme Filmmakers Award went to Yanillys Perez for Jeffrey. The jury remarked, “A true collaboration between subject and storyteller, Jeffrey weaves verite and socially conscious observation together with poetic moments of magical realism. With this beautiful combination, director Yanillys Perez not only captures the boundless spirit and imagination of her protagonist, but also offers new possibilities for narrative filmmaking. We believe people will love discovering Jeffrey.” The production team is awarded a free Dropbox for Business account.