In a report by The Guardian, The Tom Hiddleston-led drama The Life of Chuck, adapted from Stephen King’s novella, has won this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Audience Award, a surprise result in a category that often forecasts Oscar success.
Directed by Mike Flanagan, the under-the-radar film beat out several high-profile contenders despite not having a distributor going into the festival.
Flanagan, known for his previous King adaptations Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game, as well as the Netflix hit The Haunting of Hill House, brings a unique genre-bending take on the life of an accountant.
The film, co-starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan, mixes elements of fantasy and drama. Critics have noted the departure from Flanagan's usual horror-heavy adaptations, with The Daily Beast’s Nick Schager describing it as “as sweet as it is scary.”
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter’s Michael Rechtshaffen called the film “an oddball if less ideal fit.”
Following the announcement, King congratulated the cast and crew, tweeting: “I’m so blissed out for Mike Flanagan and his talented troupe of actors,” referring to the film as a "dark horse" winner.
Historically, the TIFF Audience Award has been a strong indicator of potential Oscar success, with past winners such as Green Book, La La Land, Jojo Rabbit, The Fabelmans, and American Fiction going on to win or receive Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards.
The first runner-up was Emilia Pérez, a musical crime comedy directed by Jacques Audiard, while the second runner-up was Sean Baker’s Anora, a comedy-drama about a sex worker, which previously won the Palme d'Or at Cannes.
Other festival winners include Demi Moore's horror film The Substance, which took the top prize in the Midnight Madness section, and The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, which won Best Documentary.
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