Spielberg Wins The Audience Award In Toronto With His Autobiographical Film

The Fabelmansthe film in which steven spielberg recalls his childhood and adolescence, has conquered this Sunday the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival, one of the great events of world cinema. This award is the most important of the Canadian contest, since it does not have a jury.

Set in post-World War II Arizona, the film follows in the footsteps of a young boy named Sammy Fabelman (a copy of the director of Jaws), who gains access to a devastating family secret while discovering how the power of movies can help you deal with your problems.

“This is the most personal film I’ve ever made. and the reception from everyone in Toronto made my first visit to TIFF up close and personal for me and my family,” the director said in a statement after winning the award.

In the film, actress Michelle Williams (My week with Marilyn) – whose work has been highly praised by critics – brings to life a character based on the filmmaker’s mother, Paul Dano (the villain in batman) represents his father and the role of the young Spielberg corresponds to the unknown Gabriel LaBelle. In the cast we also find Seth Rogen (The green Hornet).

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Not only has the public surrendered to Spielberg’s new film, but American critics have not stopped praising it. For example, Johnny Oleksinski (new york post) talk about “best film of the year so far” and explains that it is “exciting, visually hypnotic, with a solid and exceptional script”.

For his part, Peter Debruge (Variety) assures that The Fabelmans “It’s like listening to two and a half hours of anecdotes, but better, since they’ve gone to the trouble of putting them on stage for our benefit.” Also, describes Spielberg as “a born storyteller”.

The Audience Award is granted by popular vote among the public that attends the Toronto festival, which has concluded this Sunday after 11 days in which more than 250 films from all over the world have been screened.

Though the Audience Award it is an award with a small economic prize, it is coveted because in the past has anticipated on numerous occasions the films that will be successful at the Oscars.

Last year, the award went to Belfast, which after its premiere in Toronto received seven Oscar nominations. Kenneth Branagh, who also directed the film, won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

In 2019, something similar happened. The film that won the Audience Award was JojoRabbitwhich was subsequently nominated for five Oscars and its director, New Zealander Taika Waititi, won the statuette for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film.

The Audience Award has also been awarded to films such as Green Book, 12 years a slave, The king’s speech Y Slumdog Millionairewhich ended up triumphing at the Oscars and at the box offices around the world.

This year, after The Fabelmansthe films with the most votes by the Toronto public were Women Talking, by Sarah Polley; Y Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mysteryby Ryan Johnson.

The Audience Award in the documentary category went to BlackIce, by Hubert Davis; while the award for fantastic and horror cinema went to Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.