Toronto Film Festival: Jessica Chastain and Benedict Cumberbatch honored

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Director Kenneth Branagh in Toronto

Photo: Chris Young / AP

The Northern Ireland drama "Belfast" by director Kenneth Branagh is the winning film at the 46th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

This was announced by the festival directors, Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, during a gala event in Toronto on Saturday evening.

The moving coming-of-age story with Caitríona Balfe and Jamie Dornan in the leading roles thrilled the audience of the Canadian metropolis, which traditionally chooses the winner instead of a jury.

This year, over 130 films competed for the audience at the ten-day film festival.

»Belfast« is set in the turbulent Northern Ireland of the late 1960s.

The black and white film accompanies the young buddy (Jude Hill) on his way through a world of workers' struggles, profound cultural changes and violence.

He finds support with his charismatic father (Dornan) and mother (Balfe) as well as his grandparents (Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench) and their stories.

TIFF co-boss Bailey praised »Belfast«, which is based on Branagh's own childhood, as its »most personal and moving film«.

The director thanked the audience in a video message: “Our first screening of 'Belfast' at TIFF was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire career.

I am thrilled, I am honored and I am deeply grateful. "

Second and third place: »Scarborough« and »The Power of the Dog«

Second place went to the Canadian drama »Scarborough« by Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson.

The film follows three children in a Toronto neighborhood for a year.

The brother drama "The Power of the Dog" by New Zealand director Jane Campion with Benedict Cumberbatch in the leading role came in third.

The audience voted "The Rescue" by E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, a report on the rescue of the trapped youth football team from a Thai cave in 2018, as the best documentary film.

At the gala event on the last evening of the ten-day film festival, the TIFF Tribute Awards were also presented, with which outstanding filmmakers are honored.

Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”), who appeared in the Toronto biopic “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”, and Benedict Cumberbatch received the Best Actor award.

The directing award went to Denis Villeneuve (»Arrival«, »Dune«).

The US singer Dionne Warwick received the TIFF Special Tribute Award for her life's work.

nil / dpa