Mike Flanagan's adaptation of Stephen King's novella, The Life of Chuck, captured the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, announced Sunday as North America's largest film festival concluded. The film, starring Tom Hiddleston alongside Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, and Jacob Tremblay, explores the life of Charles "Chuck" Krantz, a typical man living amidst apocalyptic chaos. This accolade positions the film as a potential Oscar contender, though it currently lacks distribution; it's possible it wouldn't be released until 2025.
The TIFF People's Choice Award is often a precursor to Academy Award nominations for best picture; that's been the case with all past winners since 2012. Last year's winner, Cord Jefferson's American Fiction, emerged as a significant awards contender. Runners-up for the award this year included Jacques Audiard's Emilia Pérez and Sean Baker's Anora, both of which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Mike Downie's The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsa won the top documentary award, while Coralie Fargeat's The Substance, featuring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, secured the prize in the Midnight Madness section. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)