TIFF will run from September 7 to 17, 2023,

 

Toronto International Film Festival Unveils 2023 Award Categories, Juries, and Prizes

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced the details of its award categories, jury members, and prizes for the upcoming 2023 edition. The festival is set to host three esteemed international film juries consisting of renowned film critics and filmmakers. These juries will play a vital role in recognizing outstanding works within this year's lineup.

The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) jury, comprised of five members, will confer the FIPRESCI Prize to an emerging filmmaker who presents their world premiere in the Discovery programme. The Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema (NETPAC) jury, consisting of three jurors, will honor the best film by an emerging Asian and/or Pacific Islander filmmaker in the Centrepiece and Discovery programmes. Additionally, the Platform jury, as previously announced, will celebrate exceptional cinematic works.

All award winners will be revealed at the annual Awards Breakfast at TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 17, 2023. Further details are expected to follow in the coming weeks.

Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer at TIFF, remarked, "The annual awards presented by TIFF are a crucial component of the film industry's ecosystem, dedicated to honoring creativity, vision, and excellence. We come together each year to celebrate the diverse array of cinematic voices with the support of esteemed colleagues from across the global industry, and this year will be no exception."

TIFF will continue its tradition of celebrating Canadian cinema by presenting the esteemed Best Canadian Feature Film Award. All 27 Canadian feature films in the Official Selection, spanning debut features to documentaries and films by established directors, will be considered for this recognition.

Canada Goose, committed to embracing diversity, will once again present the Amplify Voices Awards. These awards will honor underrepresented filmmakers in Canada. Canadian BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) filmmakers with feature films in the Official Selection will contend for the Best Feature and Best First Feature Awards. The Amplify Voices Award will also recognize a Canadian BIPOC trailblazer—a producer who has significantly contributed to the Canadian film landscape. Each winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000, generously provided by Canada Goose.

V.T. Nayani, a multi-hyphenate storyteller whose feature directorial debut, This Place, premiered at TIFF in 2022.

Nisha Pahuja, a renowned documentary filmmaker whose works include award-winning documentaries like To Kill a Tiger and The World Before Her.

Ricardo Acosta, a distinguished film editor and script consultant whose credits include Once Upon a Time in Venezuela and The Letter.

The Short Cuts programme will showcase films competing for three jury-selected awards: Best Short Film, Best Canadian Short Film, and the Share Her Journey Award for the best short film by a woman filmmaker. Each award carries a bursary of $10,000 CAD to support the winners in their ongoing endeavors. The Short Cuts Awards Jurors include:

Aisha Jamal, an Afghan Canadian filmmaker and film programmer.

Araya Mengesha, an Ethiopian Eritrean filmmaker and actor.

Shasha Nakhai, a Toronto-based storyteller with an impressive portfolio spanning over a decade.

The Changemaker Award celebrates a feature film in the Official Selection that addresses issues relevant to young people, centered on themes of social change and youth empowerment. The winning film, selected by TIFF's Next Wave Committee, will receive a prize of $10,000 CAD.

In its 46th year, the People's Choice Award, a cherished tradition at TIFF, returns to celebrate audience favorites. All feature films in TIFF's Official Selection are eligible for this award, and audience members are encouraged to cast their votes online at tiff.net/vote.

TIFF will run from September 7 to 17, 2023, offering audiences a diverse selection of cinematic gems and celebrating outstanding filmmaking achievements.