Page 29 - The Indian EYE 100226

CANADA Newsline OCTOBER 02, 2026 | The Indian Eye 29

TIFF announces 2026 award winners

Honourable Mention:
ROHAN RAI
• The Spectacular Death of Prisca, dir. Kaelo Iy-
Toronto izoba | Nigeria
he Toronto International Film Festival re- Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film:
vealed this year’s award winners during
Ta live press conference at TIFF Lightbox. • Fight Kid, dir. Michael Del Monte | Canada
Honourable Mention:
Among the top honours announced were the Peo- • Almost Pink, dir. Justine Prince | Canada
ple’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, voted
on by TIFF’s public audience; the Platform Prize, Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film:
the Festival’s only juried programme; two Cana- • Into The Betaverse, dirs. Varun Raman, Tom
dian feature film awards, Short Cuts, FIPRESCI, Hancock | United Kingdom
and NETPAC awards. Honourable Mention:
In total, 12 awards were handed out, celebrat- A still from Being Heumann – Opening Night film
ing standout films and breakout talent. • Terminal, dir. Alexandre Siqueira | Portugal,
Spain, France
In a historic first this year, winning TIFF’s People’s Choice Documentary Award presented by Rogers:
Platform Prize granted a non-English-language • Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been, dir. FIPRESCI Prize:
film direct eligibility for Best International Fea- Barry Avrich • Ancestors, dir. David Turpin |
ture Film at the Academy Awards, alongside top • First runner-up: Black Sunflowers, dir. James Ireland, United Kingdom
winners from five other qualifying festivals. Marcus Haney
Launched in 1978, the TIFF People’s Choice NETPAC Award:
Award, presented by Rogers, celebrated the Fes- • Second runner-up: The Ultra Runner, dir. Mila • Thirteen in Gaza,
Aung-Thwin
tival’s top title as chosen by Toronto’s famously dir. Hosam Abu Dan | Palestine
passionate and discerning public audience. The People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award by Rogers:
honour now spans four categories: overall, Inter- • Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney, dir. Best Canadian Discovery Award:
national, Documentary, and Midnight Madness.
Matthew Rankin • Smudge the Blades,
People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: • First runner-up: The Spiral, dir. Paolo Strippoli dir. Cody Lightning | Canada
• La Bola Negra, dirs. Javier Calvo and Javier • Second runner-up: Arrested Memory, dir. SABU Honourable Mention:
Ambrossi • The Black Box is Orange, dir. Yuula Benivolski
• First runner-up: I Play Rocky, dir. Peter Farrelly Platform Prize: | Canada
• Second runner-up: Being Heumann, dir. Siân • Angh | dir. Theja Rio | India Best Canadian Feature Film Award:
Heder • Special Jury Award: Brace Your Heart (Garrat
Du Váimmu) | dir. Amanda Kernell | Sweden, • Sunburn, dir. Serville Poblete | Canada
International People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers:
Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Bulgaria Honourable Mention:
• Elsinore, dir. Simon Stone Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film: • Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story, dir.
• First runner-up: Possible Love, dir. Lee Chang- Adrian Buitenhuis | Canada
dong • MAMMALIA, dir. Elia Kalogianni | Greece, Next year, the 52nd edition of the Festival will
• Second runner-up: The Assassin(s), dir. Hur Jin-ho Netherlands take place from September 9–19, 2027.

A Bride Haunted by More Than Wedding Day Nerves

ROHAN RAI But then strange things begin to happen. Zain-
een starts having disturbing dreams and visions of
Toronto
catfish, snakes and bloody bodies. She also discovers
angladeshi filmmaker Rubaiyat Hossain, unexplained scratches on her stomach and begins to
known for Made in Bangladesh, returns with feel as if something is moving underneath her skin.
Ba new film that explores the pressure placed Zaineen is a modern woman preparing for
on women as they prepare for marriage. The film what appears to be a perfect marriage. Yet some-
premiered at the Toronto International Film Festi- thing mysterious seems to be troubling her. As her
val (TIFF) in September. wedding day approaches, Zaineen must face not
Known for making films about women and the only her fears and doubts, but also the mysterious
challenges they face, Hossain’s latest film looks at the force that appears to be trying to tell her something.
expectations placed on brides to look and behave per- A still from the movie. Courtesy: TIFF The film explores the pressure women face
fectly on their wedding day. The story follows Zain- to look perfect and meet society’s expectations.
een (Zaineen Chowdhury Karim), a young woman carefully styled hair and jewellery, Zaineen strug- However, the supernatural elements add a con-
preparing to marry Aarman, a handsome and wealthy gles to answer. fusing dimension to the story. It is often difficult to
man whom everyone sees as the perfect husband. As the wedding gets closer, her worries begin to tell whether the bride is simply struggling with the
During a visit with a bridal consultant, Zain- grow. She becomes concerned about her weight and stress and expectations surrounding her wedding, or
een is asked a simple question: “Happy?” Looking skin and has trouble sleeping. At first, everyone tells whether a deeper, mysterious force is pushing her to
at herself in the mirror, dressed in heavy makeup, her that these are normal worries for a bride. question the life she is about to enter.

www.TheIndianEYE.com