‘American Fiction’ wins People’s Choice award at Toronto Film Festival

‘American Fiction’ Secures People’s Choice Award at Toronto Film Festival

Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction,” a satirical masterpiece featuring Jeffrey Wright as a disenchanted academic, has clinched the prestigious People’s Choice Award at the renowned Toronto International Film Festival, a highly-regarded barometer for success in the upcoming Oscars.

This marks Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut, a celebrated television writer recognized for his work on “Watchmen” and “Succession.” “American Fiction” serves as an adaptation of Percival Everett’s 2001 novel “Erasure.” The film delves into the narrative of an author who harbors resentment towards the literary industry’s inclination to spotlight “Black books” conforming to white audience stereotypes. At TIFF, it emerged as a breakout sensation.

Historically, Toronto’s audience award winner, determined by festival attendees, has consistently signaled a strong contender for the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards. Since 2012, every recipient of the People’s Choice accolade at TIFF has proceeded to secure a nomination for Best Picture. Notably, in 2018, when “Green Book” claimed this honor, it unexpectedly thrust itself into the awards season spotlight, ultimately winning the coveted Best Picture Oscar. Last year, Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” clinched Toronto’s top prize.

The first runner-up title was awarded to Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers,” starring Paul Giamatti as a cantankerous boarding school instructor entrusted with the care of a group of students during the 1970s Christmas break. The second runner-up spot was bestowed upon Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron,” a highly anticipated addition to the Studio Ghibli collection, crafted by the revered Japanese anime maestro.

Scheduled for theatrical release by MGM on November 3, “American Fiction” boasts a stellar ensemble cast featuring Sterling K. Brown, Issa Rae, and Tracee Ellis Ross. In a recent interview, Cord Jefferson expressed his immediate connection to Everett’s literary work.

“I found myself in the midst of identical conversations with Black colleagues in both fields: Why are our narratives consistently centered around misery, trauma, violence, and pain inflicted upon Black individuals?” Jefferson remarked. “Why is this the prevailing expectation from us? Is this the sole contribution we can offer to our cultural tapestry?”

This year’s Toronto International Film Festival, concluding on Sunday, experienced a subdued atmosphere due to ongoing strikes within the acting and writing industries. Red-carpet premieres often lacked the presence of prominent movie stars, diminishing some of the usual buzz generated by North America’s largest film festival. This followed a similar trend seen at the Venice Film Festival, also affected by strikes, where Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” secured the prestigious Golden Lion award but was notably absent from TIFF.

Additionally, the People’s Choice award for documentary went to Robert McCallum’s “Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe,” while the midnight madness accolade was bestowed upon Larry Charles’ “Dicks: The Musical.” The festival’s juried competition recognized Tarsem Singh Dhandwar’s “Dear Jassi” as the winner in the Platform section, and Meredith Hama-Brown’s “Seagrass,” which earned the FIPRESCI award from international critics.

Correction: This story corrects the spelling of Jeffrey Wright’s first name.

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

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• Toronto International Film Festival
• Jeffrey Wright
• Percival Everett’s ‘Erasure’
• Cord Jefferson
• Oscar Awards
• Alexander Payne’s ‘The Holdovers’
• Hayao Miyazaki
• Studio Ghibli
• MGM
• Sterling K. Brown
• Issa Rae
• Tracee Ellis Ross
• Academy Awards
• Actors and Writers Strikes
• Venice Film Festival
• Golden Lion Award
• Robert McCallum’s ‘Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe’
• Larry Charles’ ‘Dicks: The Musical’
• Tarsem Singh Dhandwar’s ‘Dear Jassi’
• Meredith Hama-Brown’s ‘Seagrass’