The King's Speech wins TIFF's People's Choice Award

The 2010 Toronto International Film Festival officially came to a close on Sunday, with The King’s Speech taking home this year's People's Choice Award.

The King’s Speech – already generating much Oscar buzz amongst critics and filmgoers - tells the story of the man who would become King George VI, who reluctantly assumes the British throne after his brother abdicates. The King (played by Colin Firth) is plagued by a nervous stammer and engages the help of an unorthodox speech therapist (played by Geoffrey Rush), leading him to find his voice and boldly lead the country into war.

Filmgoers also had the chance to attend a free screening of the People’s Choice Award-winning film this evening at 6pm at the Ryerson Theatre, and they turned out in droves.

Justin Chadwick’s First Grader was the runner up for the 2010 TIFF People's Choice Award.

The SKYY Vodka Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film Deborah Chow for her compelling debut feature The High Cost of Living, while the City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian Feature Film went to Denis Villeneuve for Incendies. Vincent Biron’s film Les Fleurs de l'âge was voted Best Canadian Short Film.

In other TIFF awards news, the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award went to Jim Mickle’s Stake Land with Fubar II as runner-up, and the People’s Choice Documentary Award was given to Sturla Gunnarsson’s Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie.

Meanwhile, the Prize of the International Critics for the Discovery programme was awarded to Shawn Ku for Beautiful Boy, while the Prize of the International Critics for Special Presentations went to Pierre Thoretton for L'Amour Fou.