Winner has gone on to earn the Best Picture Oscar three of the past six years
A World War II code-breaker drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch has won the top prize at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Director Morten Tyldum’s “The Imitation Game” claimed the coveted Grolsch People’s Choice Award on Sunday.
Cumberbatch plays World War II British code-breaker Alan Turing. The role is complicated because Cumberbatch not only must convey the mathematical brilliance of Turing, but the pressure he faced as a closeted gay man at a time when homosexuality was criminalized.
The film also stars Oscar nominee Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode.
Three of the past six People’s Choice Award winners have gone on to win the Oscar for best picture: “The King’s Speech,” ‘’Slumdog Millionaire” and last year’s victor, “12 Years a Slave.”
First runner up for this year’s People’s Choice Award was director Isabel Coixet’s “Learning to Drive.” Second runner up was Theodore Melfi’s “St. Vincent.”
Meanwhile the People’s Choice Documentary Award went to Hajooj Kuka for “Beats of the Antonov,” which follows refugees from the Blue Nile and Nube Mountains in Sudan as they survive displacement and the trauma of civil war. Music, a cornerstone of their traditions and identity, becomes itself a vehicle for survival.
First runner up for the People’s Choice Documentary Award was David Thorpe’s “Do I Sound Gay?” Second runner up was Jalmari Helander for “Big Game.”
And the People's Choice Midnight Madness Award winners were Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement for "What We Do in the Shadows," centered on three roommates who are trying to get by and overcome life's obstacles–like being immortal vampires who must feast on human blood.
First runner up for the People's Choice Midnight Madness honor was Kevin Smith for "Tusk." Second runner up was Jalmari Helander for "Big Game."
Critics’ Choices
The Toronto Festival’s Prize of the International Critics (FIPRESCI) for Special Presentations went to director Oren Moverman’s “Time Out of Mind.” The FIPRESCI jury cited Moverman’s “sensitive and human depiction of homelessness” and Richard Gere’s remarkable performance.
Meanwhile taking the FIPRESCI Prize for the Discovery Program was “May Allah Bless France!” from director Abd Al Malik. The story centers on displaced youth in their own country, struggling to balance chaos and serenity on the strength of art, music and human spirit.
Canadian winners, top shorts
Copping the Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film was Maxime Giroux’s “Felix and Meira.”
And the City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film went to Jeffrey St. Jules for “Bang Bang Baby.”
The Vimeo Award for Best Canadian Short Film was bestowed upon Randall Okita for “The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer.
And the Vimeo Award for Best International Short Film went to Sotiris Dounoukos’ “A Single Body.”
Today marks the conclusion of the 11-day Toronto Film Festival.
SCHROM x Yacht Club and Be Electric Studios Launch Electric XR for Virtual Production
SCHROM x Yacht Club, a full-service live-action, tabletop, and postproduction company, has teamed with Be Electric Studios, a soundstage, equipment rental, and virtual production company, to launch Electric XR, a virtual production collective.
Industry veteran Thomas Rossano will lead the new venture, which provides advanced virtual production solutions across multiple facilities. He brings over 25 years of experience in live-action, tabletop, postproduction and talent curation to enhance Electric XR’s offerings as a resource for brands and agencies, as well as other production companies in need of virtual production solutions. Additionally Rossano continues to serve as EP at XR New York (XR-NY), a role he’s held since December 2022. SCHROM x Yacht Club originally established XR-NY to help provide XR services for third-party rentals. While XR-NY will continue to function independently for SCHROM X Yacht Club, it now operates under the Electric XR umbrella.
Rossano’s expertise spans producing live-action commercials, branded content, interactive and experiential content. In addition to leading Electric XR, he holds responsibilities at SCHROM x Yacht Club which include driving business development, collaborating with sales reps and expanding the company’s creative talent network. Rossano’s career includes serving as an exec producer at Hungry Man for about 11 years, right from that company’s inception. He then went on to become a partner at Station Film where he also had a lengthy tenure. Later he was a partner at PRISM. Then after the pandemic hit, he became a freelance EP for nearly two years, looking into opportunities in virtual production, which led him to XR NY and now Electric XR. Over the years, he has produced high-profile... Read More