Toronto Pubic Speaks; 12 Years a Slave Claims Top Prize at TIFF 2013

Such as the case back in 2008 with Slumdog Millionaire, Fox Searchlight have a hit on their hands and if all goes according to Moneyball-esque stats and Oscar prognosticators measuring stick, Hunger and Shame director Steve McQueen appears to be the lead favorite now for a taste of Oscar gold. After heavy Telluride buzz, 12 Years a Slave beat out Gravity, dark horse fav Prisoners, Dallas Buyers Club and the crowd-friendly Philomena to be crowned as TIFF’s BlackBerry People’s Choice Award. Here’s the complete list of other winners which includes the resurgence of Pawel Pawlikowski – who claimed the FIPRESCI prize in the Special Presentations section for Ida.

BlackBerry People’s Choice Award: “12 Years a Slave”
Runners-up: “Philomena,” “Prisoners”
BlackBerry People’s Choice Documentary Award: “The Square”
Runners-up: “Beyond the Edge,” “Hi-Ho Mistahey!”
BlackBerry People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award: “Why Don’t You Play in Hell?”
Best Canadian First Feature Film: “Asphalt Watches”
City of Toronto and Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film: “When Jews Were Funny”
Best Canadian Short Film: “Noah”
International Critics’ (FIPRESCI) Prize for Discovery Program: “The Amazing Catfish”
International Critcs’ (FIPRESCI) Prize for Special Presentations: “Ida”
NETPAC Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere: “QISSA”
Grolsch Film Works Discovery Award: “All the Wrong Reasons”