Entertainment

The Life of Chuck wins TIFF's People's Choice Award

The Life of Chuck, an offbeat film by writer-director Mike Flanagan, has won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal named People's Choice for best documentary

Actor Tom Hiddleston signs autographs.
Tom Hiddleston greets fans outside the Princess of Wales Theatre before the premiere of The Life of Chuck, at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 6. (Mathew Tsang/Getty Images)

The Life of Chuck, an offbeat film by writer-director Mike Flanagan, has won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The sci-fi drama is based on the 2020 Stephen King novella and sees Tom Hiddleston as one of the actors playing the central character, accountant Charles "Chuck" Krantz.

The audience-voted prize, considered an Oscar bellwether, was announced at a morning ceremony that named Emilia Pérez and Anora as runners-up.

The People's Choice Award for best documentary went to The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, directed by Mike Downie, while the audience award for best Midnight Madness film went to Coralie Fargeat's The Substance.

The Best Canadian Discovery Award, worth $10,000, went to Matthew Rankin's Universal Language, and the Best Canadian Feature Award, also worth $10,000, went to Sophie Deraspe's Shepherds.

Filmmaker Mike Flanagan poses with fans.
Filmmaker Mike Flanagan poses with fans before the premiere of The Life of Chuck during TIFF on Sept 6. (Mathew Tsang/Getty Images)

The Toronto International Film Festival was wrapping up on Sunday.

Last year's People's Choice winner, American Fiction, went on to nab five Academy Award nominations and won for best adapted screenplay.

Other notable past People's Choice picks include best picture winners Green Book12 Years a Slave and The King's Speech.

Actors sit for a photo.
Some of the cast members of The Life of Chuck pose for a photo during TIFF on Sept. 7. Front row, from left: Benjamin Pajak, Tom Hiddleston and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Back row, from left: Karen Gillan, Mike Flanagan and Kate Siegel. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for IMDb)

With files from CBC News