As predicted by some film connoisseurs, Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave received the People's Choice Award as audience favorite at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival this past weekend, Deadline reports.
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The film, about a black violinist living in 1841 New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery, is already being talked about as a possible Academy Awards contender.
It’s a good omen for Oscar as such recent Best Picture winners as The King’s Speech, Slumdog Millionaire, American Beauty, and Chariots Of Fire were also winners that went on to take the Oscar for Best Pic. Several nominees have also been the recipient of the Toronto honor including last year’s Silver Linings Playbook and Precious among many others. Fox Searchlight will begin a slow rollout of Slave on October 18. The film, which debuted at Telluride Film Festival to loud buzz has generated much Oscar talk for director Steve McQueen, star Chiwetel Ejiofor and supporting players Michael Fassbender and newcomer Lupita Nyong’o. Tree Of Life team Brad Pitt (who has a supporting role), Dede Gardner and Bill Pohlad are among the producers. Runners-up for the People’s Choice were Philomena and Prisoners.
Read more at Deadline.
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