It was inevitable.
Even before the Toronto International Film Festival had begun, we knew that the ultra-mainstream TIFF crowd would eat up the crowdpleasing quirks of Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” and, gulp, possibly reward it with the coveted People’s Choice Award. Well, that’s exactly what happened this evening as Branagh’s film took home the top prize.
The prize itself is often considered a precursor for the Academy Awards, as the winner for the past nine years has gone on to get nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. This includes last year’s winner “Nomadland,” which went on to win Best Picture.
One can safely assume now that “Belfast” is the Best Picture frontrunner. More contenders still need to be screened, but, as we speak, this film is the one to beat. Branagh basically took the “Roma” blueprint and made it more accessible for the mainstream by injecting some “Jojo Rabbit” whimsy into its frames. A meticulously evil/genius plan that might pay off come Oscar night.