'Monsoon' Wins People's Choice Award for Canada's Top Ten

Monsoon. Photo courtesy of TIFF.

Sturla Gunnarsson's Monsoon is the winner of the first-ever People's Choice Award for the Canada's Top Ten festival from the Toronto International Film Festival. Monsoon is a gorgeously shot exploration of weather patterns in India and the larger social, religious, and philosophical currents that follow the annual floods and rainfall. “I’m thrilled," said Gunnarsson. "Monsoon is probably the most personal film I’ve made, and it turns out to be a crowd-pleaser too.” Monsoon launched Canada's Top Ten at TIFF Bell Lightbox on Jan. 2. It opens in theatres Feb. 27.


The award winners for Canada's Top Ten also include a trio of prizes for the inaugrual crop of student films selected for the festival. Lifers by Joel Salasay from Simon Fraser University wins the prize for Best Film (Live Action). Light from director Yassmina Karajah (UBC) is the runner-up. Winning the prize for Best Film - Animation is Fallow from Breanna Cheek (Emily Carr). Salasay and Cheek both win prizes including equipment rentals from William F. White International, DCP transfer from Technicolor, networking and a $1000 from the Directors Guild of Canada.

This year's Canada's Top Ten included an expanded spotlight on currents in Canadian cinema with conversations with Keanu Reeves, Naomi Klein, Avi Lewis, and filmmakers represented in the Top Ten selections such as David Cronenberg (Maps to the Stars) and We Are the City's Andrew Huculiak (Violent).

Additional Canada's Top Ten screenings take place at the following cities:
-Vancouver’s The Cinematheque (on now until January 18, includes 'In Conversation with...' chat with Sandra Oh on Jan. 18)
-Edmonton’s Metro Cinema (January 22 to February 2)
-Calgary’s Globe Cinema in association with the Calgary International Film Festival (February 20 to 26)
-Winnipeg Film Group’s Cinematheque (March 6 to 19)
-Montreal’s PHI Centre(dates TBA).