TFCA Awards Gala

Toronto Film Critics Association Awards Gala

On Tuesday January 12th at the posh NOTA BENE Restaurant in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment district, two TFCA Awards were handed out.

The recipient of the Jay Scott prize was the young 20-year old Xavier Dolan who wrote, directed and starred in the drama J’AI TUE MA MERE, to be released in Toronto February.  Dolan, looking sharp, smart and young flew from Los Angeles to receive his prize.  (I had the honour and chance to congratulate the humble and charming Mr. Dolan and offer him a Silk Cut which he was a bit shy to ask.)

The Rogers Best Canadian Feature Award was announced for the first time. The winner was Denis Villeneuve for his emotionally charged film POLYTECHNIQUE based on the Montreal massacre.  Villenueve jokingly said, in his acceptance speech that the money won would allow him to pay his Rogers bill. 

Other winners for the TFCA 2009 categories are listed below:-

BEST PICTURE (TIE)
“Hunger” (Maple Pictures)
“Inglourious Basterds” (Alliance Films)
Runner-up:
“The Hurt Locker” (Maple Pictures)
BEST ACTOR
Nicolas Cage, “The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans”
Runners-up:
George Clooney, “Up in the Air”
Michael Fassbender, “Hunger”
Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
Viggo Mortensen, “The Road”

BEST ACTRESS
Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
Runners-up:
Arta Dobroshi, “Le Silence de Lorna”
Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
Runners-up:
Christian McKay, “Me & Orson Welles”
Timothy Olyphant, “A Perfect Getaway”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
Runners-up:
Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
Mo’nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

BEST DIRECTOR
Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
Runners-up:
Steve McQueen, “Hunger”
Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST SCREENPLAY (TIE)
“Inglourious Basterds”, written by Quentin Tarantino
“Up in the Air”, written by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
based on the novel by Walter Kirn
Runner-up:
“A Serious Man”, written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
BEST FIRST FEATURE
“Hunger”, directed by Steve McQueen
Runners-up:
“District 9″, directed by Neill Blomkamp
“(500) Days of Summer”, directed by Marc Webb

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” (Fox Searchlight)
Runners-up:
“Coraline” (Alliance Films)
“Up” (Disney-Pixar)

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
“The White Ribbon” (Mongrel Media)
Runners-up:
“Police, Adjective” (filmswelike)
“Summer Hours” (E1 Entertainment)

ALLAN KING DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AWARD
“The Cove” (Maple Pictures)
Runners-up:
“Anvil! The Story of Anvil” (filmswelike)
“The Beaches of Agnes” (E1 Entertainment)