TIFF to introduce new audience choice award for international films

By Canadian Press on May 16, 2025.

TORONTO — The Toronto International Film Festival is introducing a new people’s choice award for international films.

Feature-length films from TIFF’s official selection that are not from Canada or the United States will qualify for the new award, which will debut at this year’s festival in September.

As in the festival’s other people’s choice awards, audiences will be asked to vote on their favourite film that meets that criteria.

TIFF’s main people’s choice award is considered a bellwether for the Oscars best picture race, with previous winners including “Nomadland,” “Green Book” and “La La Land.”

The festival also has an audience choice award for its Midnight Madness program, and last year’s winner, “The Substance,” scored five Oscar nominations.

The addition comes as TIFF prepares to launch a content market in the 2026 festival, which would run alongside the public-facing event to facilitate distribution and funding deals.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2025.

Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press

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