Toronto – To all the filmmakers, industry representatives, media, sponsors both private and public, our Board of Directors, families, friends, staff, and volunteers:

“Thank you for your unflagging support through this difficult week. When we launched the Festival 11 days ago, we all looked forward to welcoming the Canadian and international film community to Toronto to celebrate cinema from around the world. As the incomprehensible events of September 11, 2001 unfolded, we came together globally to grieve for and comfort our neighbours, friends, colleagues, and their families in America and around the world who were touched by the devastation. We found solace in each other, occasionally losing ourselves in film. Together, we have continued to hope and yet grieve with the rest of the world.

“Please know that each and every one of us at the Toronto International Film Festival is deeply saddened by this tragedy, and all those affected by it will remain in our hearts long after the cinema screens go dark at the end of the Festival.”

Piers Handling, Festival Director and Michèle Maheux, Managing Director Toronto International Film Festival Group

VOLKSWAGEN DISCOVERY AWARD:
CHICKEN RICE WAR CheeK, Singapore Voted on by the accredited Press Corps of the Toronto International Film Festival.

FIPRESCI AWARD:
INCH’ALLAH DIMANCHE Yamina Benguigui, France For its sensitivity and fresh humour in dealing with the conditions of Third World women, daily racism, and clashes between cultures, the FIPRESCI Award goes to INCH’ALLAH DIMANCHE by Yamina Benguigui.

Special Mention: BE MY STAR by Valeska Grisebach (Austria/Germany), because of the justness of its documentary-like style in observing bittersweet teenage love.

Special Mention: KHALED by Asghar Massombagi (Canada) because of its skill in turning a small-scale mother and son story into a poignant human drama.

This year’s FIPRESCI Jury members are: Atilla Dorsay, Sabah, Turkey – Jury President; Eduardo Antin, el Amante Cine/Tres Puntos, Argentina; Jan Aghed, Sydsvenska Dagbladet, Sweden; and Réal La Rochelle, 24 Images, Canada.

NFB – JOHN SPOTTON AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM:
FILM(DZAMA) deco dawson, Canada For its unique artistic vision that pays hommage to a contemporary artist using the vocabulary of early filmmakers, the NFB John Spotton Award goes to deco dawson’s FILM(DZAMA).

CITYTV AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FIRST FEATURE FILM:
INERTIA Sean Garrity, Canada For its visual flair and comic sensibility which heralds the arrival of a filmmaker of great promise, the Citytv Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film goes to Sean Garrity’s INERTIA.

TORONTO – CITY AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM:
ATANARJUAT (THE FAST RUNNER) Zacharias Kunuk, Canada For its sophisticated telling of a mythic tale that reflects the complexities of the human spirit, the Toronto-City Award for Best Canadian Feature Film goes to Zacharias Kunuk for ATANARJUAT (THE FAST RUNNER).

AGF PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD:
LE FABULEUX DESTIN D’AMÉLIE POULAIN Jean-Pierre Jeunet, France

Runners Up:
2. MAYA Digvijay Singh, USA
3. MONSOON WEDDING Mira Nair, India

The final Press Conference is generously sponsored by the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto.