The harrowing drama about a mother and son confined to a small space for years beat 'Angry Indian Goddesses' and 'Spotlight' by close margins.
- Sep 21, 2015
AceShowbiz - If Toronto International Film Festival is any indication, "Room" will shine at the Academy Awards next year. The harrowing drama about a mother and her child won the festival's Grolsch People's Choice award, a category which often leads to victory at the Oscars.
At the end of the festival's 11-day event on Sunday, September 20, the Canadian film won the $15,000 prize. "Angry Indian Goddesses" and "Spotlight" went on winning the runner-up positions. Festival director Piers Handling said the balloting on the prize was "very, very close."
"Room" stars Brie Larson as a woman who is abducted, raped and confined to a windowless 10-by-10-foot space. She gives birth to the rapist's son, a spirited 5-year-old named Jack who thinks the room is the entire world. "The Smurfs 2" actor Jacob Tremblay plays the young boy. Ireland's Lenny Abrahamson directed the drama based on Canadian author Emma Donoghue's novel.
"We shot this film in Toronto and it's incredible that this happened," said movie's producer David Gross. "I know it's rare ...that a Canadian film actually wins this award." He added, " 'Room' kind of ignited audiences. I think it's a very serious film but it's a very emotional film."
Last year's People's Choice winner "The Imitation Game" went on being nominated for eight Oscars. Other previous winners in the category were "The King's Speech", "Slumdog Millionaire" and "12 Years a Slave".
"Room" premiered at Tellurude Film Festival earlier this year and will open nationwide on October 16.
Full List of 2015 TIFF Awards Winners:
- People's Choice Award: "Room," directed by Lenny Abrahamson
- People's Choice Award for Documentary: "Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom," directed by Evgeny Afineevsky
- People's Choice Award for Midnight Madness: "Hardcore," directed by Ilya Naishuller
- Best Canadian Feature Film: "Closet Monster," directed by Stephen Dunn
- Special Citation, Canadian Feature Film: "My Internship in Canada," directed by Phillippe Falardeau
- Best Canadian First Feature Film: "Sleeping Giant," directed Andrew Cividino
- Prizes of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Special Presentations Section: "Desierto," directed by Jonas Cuaron
- Prizes of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery Section: "Eva Nova," directed by Marko Skop
- Discovery Programme Filmmakers Award: "Black," directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah
- NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film: "The Whispering Star," directed by Sion Sono
- Best International Short Film: "Maman(s)," directed by Maimouna Doucoure
- Best Canadian Short Film: "Overpass," directed by Patrice Laliberte
- Platform Prize: "Hurt (2015)," directed by Alan Zweig
