Skip to content

Charlotte Wells' 'Aftersun' dominates Toronto Film Critics Association awards

TORONTO — The father-daughter drama "Aftersun" by first-time director Charlotte Wells scored big with the Toronto Film Critics Association, netting four awards including best picture.
20230109110124-a2364213c3350981cb13983320623600bc0c4f73e1de8913ee0550baf46d6341
The father-daughter drama "Aftersun" by first-time director Charlotte Wells scored big with the Toronto Film Critics Association, netting four awards including best picture. Set in the early 2000s, “Aftersun” follows Sophie, an 11-year-old Scottish girl, on vacation with her father at a Turkish resort on the eve of his 31st birthday. Frankie Corio as Sophie and Paul Mescal as Calum are shown in this undated photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-A24

TORONTO — The father-daughter drama "Aftersun" by first-time director Charlotte Wells scored big with the Toronto Film Critics Association, netting four awards including best picture. 

The film was also named best feature and earned Well the best director prize and star Paul Mescal the best actor award. Best actress went to Cate Blanchett of "Tár."

Best picture runners-up include Sarah Polley's adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel "Women Talking," and "Everything Everywhere All at Once" by the film team of  Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, known as The Daniels.

Best animated feature went to "Turning Red," helmed by Toronto's Domee Shi, about a Chinese-Canadian girl wrestling with puberty in 2002 Toronto.

The TFCA's marquee prize is a $100,000 cash award for best Canadian feature, to be handed out at a Toronto gala March 6. Runners-up get $5,000 each.

The TFCA says this year's nominees are "Brother," directed by Clement Virgo; "Riceboy Sleeps," directed by Anthony Shim and "Crimes of the Future," directed by David Cronenberg.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2023.

Noel Ransome, The Canadian Press