Awards - The people have spoken.

TIFF People’s Choice Awards

The Calgary Herald

The winner of the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is Tom Hooper’s lighthearted royal drama The King’s Speech.

It chronicles the efforts of King George VI (Colin Firth) to rid himself of a chronic stutter, aided by an unorthodox Australian speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush).

The runner-up for the People’s Choice Award was Justin Chadwick’s The First Grader. Based on a true story, it follows an uneducated 84-year-old Kenyan man who learned his government was offering free primary education and showed up on the first day, ready to learn.

Runner-Up Award for First Grader

TIFF 2010

New York Magazine

The King’s Speech - the Colin Firth/Geoffrey Rush drama about a king’s attempts to overcome his stutter - has won the audience award at the Toronto Film Festival, confirming its status as an Oscar frontrunner. Runner-up for the audience prize was the Justin Chadwick-directed First Grader. The two most recent winners of the prize were Precious last year and Slumdog Millionaire in 2008.

TIFF Cadillac People's Choice Award

Toronto International Film Festival

TIFF Press Release

The Cadillac People’s Choice Award is voted on by Festival audiences. This year’s award goes to Tom Hooper’s “The King’s Speech” (United Kingdom/Australia). The King’s Speech tells the story of King George VI. After his brother abdicates, George ‘Bertie’ VI (Colin Firth) reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded nervous stammer and considered unfit to be King, Bertie engages the help of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). The award offers a $15,000 cash prize and custom award, sponsored by Cadillac. Runner-up is Justin Chadwick’s The First Grader (United Kingdom).