The Imitation Game is the people’s favourite film at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.Â
The story of Alan Turing starring Benedict Cumberbatch has won the People’s Choice Award at the 38th Toronto film festival, a prize generally considered a key indicator of Oscar success – and it has been widely suggested that come the impending award season, this could be another accolade attributed to the already critical success of the film.
Many films that have won the People’s Choice Award have gone on to further success by winning the Best Picture Oscar. Films such as SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, THE KING’S SPEECH and 12 YEARS A SLAVE have all left the Toronto film festival with the same award and went on to take the coveted Oscar.
The People’s Choice Award is voted for by press, industry and the audience – anyone who attends a public screening and likes the film can cast their vote by dropping their ticket stub into a box if they feel it should win.
The film, a Working Title production directed by Morten Tyldum, shows how Turing headed a team tasked to decipher Engima-encrypted German communications during World War II. It also flashes forward to his interrogation by a policeman following a curious burglary in the early 1950s, and back to a friendship with a fellow schoolboy.
THE IMITATION GAME stars Cumberbatch alongside Keira Knightley who plays a fellow mathematician to whom Turing was briefly engaged. Mark Strong, Matthew Goode and Rory Kinnear are also cast in the movie.
Here is the full list of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival winners:
People’s Choice Award -
 The Imitation Game, directed by Morten Tyldum
People’s Choice Award For Documentary
 – Beats of the Antonov, directed by Hajooj Kuka
People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award – What We Do in the Shadows, directed by Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi
Best Canadian Feature Film – Felix and Meira, directed by Maxime Giroux
Best Canadian First Feature Film – Bang Bang Baby, directed by Jeffrey St Jules
Prizes of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Special Presentations Section – Time Out of Mind, directed by Oren Moverman
Prizes of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery Section
 – May Allah Bless France!, directed by Abd Al Malik
NETPAC Award For Best Asian Film -
 Margarita, With a Straw, directed by Shonali Bose
Best International Short Film – A Single Body, directed by Sotiris Dounoukos
Best Canadian Short Film – The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer, directed by Randall Okita
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