Does Kenneth Branagh finally hold his film to Oscar? After the ovation reserved this week by the Toronto International Film Festival for its latest feature film,
Belfast
, it is now possible to believe in it. The British North Irish director's love letter to his hometown, the black-and-white romantic comedy won the prestigious and coveted Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday. A good indicator in the race for the Oscars, the award had in recent years been given to
Nomadland
(2020),
Green Book
(2018) or
12 Years a Slave
(2013), all holders of the supreme American statuette.
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“Our first screening of the film
Belfast
at the Toronto Film Festival was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire career,”
said Kenneth Branagh in a video shown during the Toronto Film Festival ceremony.
"I am delighted, I am touched and I am deeply grateful,"
added the 60-year-old British actor-director who took advantage of the first confinement in England to write the screenplay for the film.
An eclectic filmmaker, his work ranges from Shakespeare adaptations to the first
Thor
film
, including more recently new adaptations of Hercule Poirot's investigations.
Diving at the start of the Troubles
His latest film
Belfast
, which hits theaters in North America in November, is inspired by his personal story.
It tells the story of the outbreak of violence in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s through the eyes of Buddy, a nine-year-old boy.
It was at this age that Kenneth Branagh and his family moved to England to escape the "Troubles" which then tore Northern Ireland and Belfast apart until the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Both funny and moving, the feature film is carried by an abundant cast which combines Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Caitriona Balfe and Ciaran Hinds.
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"A story like this tries to show that even in the midst of chaos and violence, this city has incredible qualities
,
"
the director told AFP. The people of Belfast
"have overcome an incredible number of challenges"
and it is not over, he added, in reference to the violence that has plagued Northern Ireland in recent months. Scenes of confrontation have raised the specter of the conflict between Protestants and Northern Irish Catholics, killing some 3,500 people.
"The fear of bombs every weekend when you try to meet your friends in town ... things like that which had become so normal for us seem crazy in retrospect"
, also mentioned the actor Jamie Dornan who has him. also grew up in Belfast.
“There will always be unrest in Northern Ireland unfortunately,”
added the actor known for playing one of the leading roles in the
Fifty Shades of Gray
erotic films
.
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: Jamie Dornan naked for $ 1.5 million
Oscars Marathon
A figure in British cinema and a regular at the Oscars for forty years, Kenneth Branagh has never won a single statuette. A singular testament to the jack-of-all-trades character of his career, the filmmaker's five past appointments each time concerned a different category. Nominated in the category of best actor in a leading role and best director in 1990 for his
Henry V
, Kenneth Branagh was subsequently nominated for the Oscar for best short fiction film (
Swan's song
, at the ceremony of 1993), Best Adapted Screenplay (
Hamlet
, in 1997) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (
My Week with Marilyn
, in 2012).
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The Power of the Dog
: in Venice, the cinema lesson of Jane Campion
After relocating online last year due to the pandemic, the Toronto International Film Festival this year saw the return of Hollywood stars, but with reduced hosting capacities, fewer stars on the shelves. red carpets and a smaller selection of films.
Belfast
stood out from other finalists, such as the Canadian drama
Scarborough
and
The Power of the Dog
, a film starring Benedict Cumberbatch and directed by Jane Campion. During the closing ceremony on Saturday evening, the Festival also presented awards of excellence for the careers of actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Jessica Chastain, as well as for Denis Villeneuve.
Other films screened in Toronto that were considered “Oscar winners” were not eligible for Saturday's award, including
Spencer
with Kristen Stewart and
Denis Villeneuve's
sci-fi film
Dune
. The award for Best Documentary went to
The Rescue
, a film about the rescue of a Thai boys football team from a flooded cave in 2018, by Oscar-winning
Free Solo directors
E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. The exit from
Belfast
in France is expected on December 15. The next Oscars ceremony will take place on March 27, 2022.