Here are all the TIFF 2024 award winners
People’s Choice Award winners include Mike Downie’s The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal (Documentary), Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck, and Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance (Midnight Madness)
TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2024 – After 11 days of cinematic magic, moments, and memories, TIFF officially concludes the 49th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, by celebrating the best of the fest with its annual awards slate. A total of 10 awards were handed out at the awards ceremony held on Sunday, September 15, 2024, including jury-awarded prizes and the renowned People’s Choice Awards, also presented by Rogers, that signals the official start to awards season.
“As we conclude this year’s Festival and present these 10 awards today, I’d like to extend my
heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated juries, our TIFF programmers, and all of the filmmakers who
have shared their work with us,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “Most importantly, I want to
thank our audience, who are truly the best in the world. Their passion and enthusiasm bring this
festival to life every year, and we couldn’t do it without them. To The Life of Chuck, The
Substance, and The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, this year’s winners of the People’s
Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, I can’t wait to see the future awards and accolades that
await your incredible films.”
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS PRESENTED BY ROGERS
The 47th edition of TIFF’s People’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, has been distinguished
as the audience’s top title at the Festival as voted by the viewing public. All feature films and
series in TIFF’s Official Selection are eligible.
People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award presented by Rogers is:
The Substance, dir. Coralie
Fargeat | United Kingdom/USA/France
The first runner-up is: Dead Talents Society, dir. John Hsu | Taiwan
The second runner-up is: Friendship, dir. Andrew DeYoung | USA
People’s Choice Documentary Award presented by Rogers is:
The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, dir. Mike Downie | Canada
The first runner-up is: Will & Harper, dir. Josh Greenbaum | USA
The second runner-up is: Your Tomorrow, dir. Ali Weinstein | Canada
People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers is:
The Life of Chuck, dir. Mike Flanagan | USA
The first runner-up is: Emilia Pérez, dir. Jacques Audiard | France/USA/Mexico
The second runner-up is: Anora, dir. Sean Baker | USA
SHORT CUTS AWARDS
Short Cuts Awards are for Best International Film and Best Canadian Film. Each of the two
winning films will receive a bursary of $10,000 CAD. The 2024 jurors for the Short Cuts Awards
were Luis De Filippis, Micah Kernan, and Shane Smith.
Short Cuts Award for Best International Film:
Deck 5B, dir. Malin Ingrid Johansson | Sweden
Short Cut Jury’s statement: “By subverting narrative expectations at every turn, while adding
layers of insight and potent emotional truths that evocatively illustrate the tensions between
motherhood and desire, this deeply moving film enthralled the jury, staying with us long after
we’d watched it. Helmed by a gifted filmmaker, skillfully eliciting an exceptional performance
from her lead actress, in service of a nuanced, heartbreaking story, the jury is thrilled to present
the award for Best International Short Film to Deck 5B, directed by Malin Ingrid Johansson.”
Honourable Mention:
Quota, dir. Job Roggeveen, Joris Oprins, Marieke Blaauw | Netherlands
Short Cut Jury’s statement: “In its three-minute runtime, this inventive animation does exactly
what the best shorts do: make us ask big questions in little timeframes. The work tackles the
timely issue of the cost of human invention and innovation on our tired planet. In a world where
going viral has become synonymous with success, it asks if perhaps the real virus is us and our
unquenchable need for more. The jury is pleased to present an honourable mention to the
filmmaking team of Job, Joris & Marieke for their short Quota. We also applaud the filmmakers
for practicing what they preach by choosing not to attend the Festival this year as a way to limit
their carbon footprint and stay within their ‘quota.’”
Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film:
Are You Scared To Be Yourself Because You Think That You Might Fail?, dir. Bec Pecaut | Canada
Short Cut Jury’s statement: “This filmmaker was able to capture a moment in life with such
authenticity in an effortless way. The jury was inspired to join these characters on a heartful
expedition through decisions that were scary, funny, challenging, and ultimately real. The
exploration of familial bonds and how they shift during adulthood resulted in an emotional
journey from start to finish. The jury is thrilled to award the Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian
Short Film to director Bec Pecault for Are You Scared To Be Yourself Because You Think
That You Might Fail?”
FIPRESCI AWARD
The FIPRESCI jury is awarding the Prize of International Critics, dedicated to emerging
filmmakers, to a debut feature film having its World Premiere in TIFF’s Discovery programme.
The 2024 FIPRESCI jury members are Li Cheuk-to, Pierre-Simon Gutman, Azadeh Jafari, Saffron
Maeve, and Wilfred Okiche.
FIPRESCI Award:
Mother Mother, dir. K’naan Warsame | Somalia
FIPRESCI Jury statement: “Mother Mother, directed by K’naan Warsame depicts a humanistic
approach towards a revenge narrative set in a country haunted by violence and grief. The film is
remarkable in its non-sensationalist treatment of contentious politics through its parallels of the
human and the natural world. Warsame’s feature debut, through its compelling formal attributes
and charismatic acting, conveys a sense of hope and healing after tragedy.”
NETPAC AWARD
Presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema, the NETPAC Award
recognizes films specifically from the Asian and Pacific regions. The jury consists of three
international community members selected by TIFF and NETPAC, who award the prize to the
best Asian film by a first or second-time feature director. The 2024 NETPAC jury members are
Hannah Fisher, Dr. Vilsoni Hereniko, and Kerri Sakamoto.
NETPAC Award:
The Last of the Sea Women, dir. Sue Kim | USA
NETPAC Jury statement: “The 2024 NETPAC jury award goes to The Last of the Sea Women, for
its moving and illuminating portrayal of the lives of the haenyeo, a group of elderly female divers
on Jeju island, off the coast of South Korea. These women are sea warriors struggling against
global warming and ocean pollution to keep a unique cultural practice alive. It is rare that a
filmmaker would choose to highlight, elevate, and celebrate the daily struggles of women in their
60s and 70s, especially those from marginalized communities far from the centres of power.
Director Sue Kim depicts the lives of these warriors on land and in the sea with beauty, humour,
and compassion. It is a story that inspires and calls us to action.”
BEST CANADIAN DISCOVERY AWARD
Back this year after being on hiatus since 2019, and with a new name and new criteria, the Best
Canadian Discovery Award celebrates works of emerging filmmakers who contribute to
enriching the Canadian film landscape. All first or second feature films in Official Selection by
Canadian filmmakers are eligible for this award. The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000.
This year’s jury members were Estrella Araiza, Chelsea McMullan, and Randall Okita.
Best Canadian Discovery Award:
Universal Language, dir. Matthew Rankin | Canada
Jury’s Statement: “After an incredible year of films featuring a wildly diverse range of talent,
heart and innovation, we are honored to present the Best Canadian Discovery Award to a film
that boldly charts its own course through a poetic exploration of heart, home and human connection: the absurdly funny, sweet and soulful Universal Language.”
Honourable Mention:
You Are Not Alone, dirs. Marie-Hélène Viens, Philippe Lupien | Canada
Jury’s statement: “We would like to first give an Honourable Mention to You Are Not Alone, a
film that entranced us with its outstanding performances, meticulously constructed tone, and
wonderfully fresh approach to genre.”
BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM AWARD PRESENTED BY CANADA GOOSE
Canada Goose has always played a supporting role in the magic of filmmaking. TIFF continues
to celebrate the unique craft and storytelling within Canadian cinema with the Best Canadian
Feature Film Award. All Canadian feature films in Official Selection — excluding first or second
features — will be considered for the award. The winning filmmaker will receive a $10,000 cash
prize. The 2024 Best Canadian Feature Film Award is presented by Canada Goose.
Best Canadian Feature Film Award:
Shepherds, dir. Sophie Deraspe | Canada
Jury’s statement: “Among the many beautiful films showcased in the program this year,
Shepherds rose above with its electrifying performances and staggering world-building that
gave us a window into a harrowing journey of ambition, idealism, and what it means to live a full
life.”
PLATFORM COMPETITION AWARD
The Platform Award is an award of $20,000 CAD given to the best film in the competition
selected by an in-person international jury. This year’s jury members were Atom Egoyan, Hur
Jin-ho, and Jane Schoenbrun.
Platform Award:
They Will Be Dust, dir. Carlos Marques-Marcet | Spain, Italy, Switzerland
Platform Jury statement: “They Will Be Dust was the unanimous choice for this year’s Platform
Award amongst a very strong selection. Director Carlos Marques-Marcet has assembled a
superb cast, with heartbreaking performances from Alfredo Castro and Ángela Molina. From the
very first shot of the film, the jury knew it was in masterful hands. The film’s ability to mix
moments of extreme pathos with humour was unique and completely convincing. This
emotionally loaded story was told with great formal daring, a breathtaking sense of visual
panache, and a deep sense of humanity.”
Honourable Mention:
Sylvia Chang in Daughter’s Daughter, dir. Huang Xi | Taiwan
Platform Jury statement: “The jury also wished to acknowledge the exceptional artistry of Sylvia Chang’s brilliant and extremely multilayered portrayal of a conflicted mother in Huang Xi’s film
Daughter’s Daughter. This great actress has delivered one of her finest performances, and we
are pleased to give this legend of Taiwanese cinema the most honourable of mentions.”
TIFF 2024 Tribute Awards
Last Sunday, the following were honoured with TIFF 2024 Tribute Awards, with Sandra Oh as
Honorary Chair of the sixth annual fundraising gala:
● Amy Adams: TIFF Tribute Performer Award
● Angelina Jolie: TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media
● Cate Blanchett: TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award
● Clément Ducol & Camille: TIFF Variety Artisan Award
● David Cronenberg: TIFF Norman Jewison Career Achievement
● Durga Chew-Bose: TIFF Emerging Talent Award
● Jharrel Jerome: TIFF Tribute Performer Award
● Mike Leigh: TIFF Ebert Director Award
● Zhao Tao: TIFF Special Tribute Award
Awards descriptions including eligibility can be found here: tiff.net/awards
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