Toronto International Film Festival 2001 Prize Winners:

TIFF [2001]

The 2001 edition of The Toronto International Film Festival ended without fanfare. For the first time in the event's history, the Awards Luncheon was cancelled and instead, the winners announced via press release:

"Thank you for your unflagging support through this difficult week. When we launched the Festival 11 days ago, we all looked forward to welcoming the Canadian and international film community to Toronto to celebrate cinema from around the world. As the incomprehensible events of September 11, 2001 unfolded, we came together globally to grieve for and comfort our neighbours, friends, colleagues, and their families in America and around the world who were touched by the devastation. We found solace in each other, occasionally losing ourselves in film. Together, we have continued to hope and yet grieve with the rest of the world."

-Piers Handling, Festival Director
Michèle Maheux, Managing Director

Results:

People's Choice Award:

Winner:

"Le Fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain" wallpaper

LE FABULEUX DESTIN D'AMÉLIE POULAIN (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, France)

Runners Up:

MAYA (Digvijay Singh, USA)
MONSOON WEDDING (Mira Nair, India)

• • •

Volkswagon Discovery Award:

Voted on by the accredited Press Corps of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Winner: CHICKEN RICE WAR (CheeK, Singapore)
(My vote: "The Devil's Backbone" by Guillermo Del Toro)

• • •

Fipresci (La Federation Internationale de la Press Cinematographique) Award:

Winner:

INCH'ALLAH DIMANCHE (Yamina Benguigui, France)
"For its sensitivity and fresh humour in dealing with the conditions of Third World women, daily racism, and clashes between cultures..."

Special Mention:

BE MY STAR (Valeska Grisebach, Austria/Germany)
"...becauseof the justness of its documentary-like style in observing bittersweet teenage love...:

KHALED (Asghar Massombagi, Canada)
"...because of its skill in turning a small-scale mother and son story into a poignant human drama."

• • •

NFB (National Film Board of Canada) - John Spotton Award for Best Canadian Short Film:

DZAMA (Deco Dawson, Canada)
"For its unique artistic vision that pays hommage to a contemporary artist using the vocabulary of early filmmakers..."

• • •

CITYTV Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film:

INERTIA (Sean Garrity, Canada)
"For its visual flair and comic sensibility which heralds the arrival of a filmmaker of great promise..."

• • •

Toronto City Award for Best Canadian Feature Film:

ATANARJUAT (THE FAST RUNNER) (Zacharias Kunuk, Canada)
"For its sophisticated telling of a mythic tale that reflects the complexities of the human spirit..."

[2001 Festival Reviews Index]

-Robert J. Lewis
Movie Forum
Toronto, 2001

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