The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) has unveiled the nominees for its two Canadian feature awards and the winners of its 28th annual awards.

The Canadian nominees and award winners were voted on by TFCA members on Sunday (Dec. 15).

The Rogers Best Canadian Film nominees are Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson’s Rumours (Buffalo Gal Pictures, Maze Pictures, Square Peg Films); Sophie Deraspe’s Shepherds (micro_scope, Avenue B Productions; pictured) and Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language (Metafilms).

The nominees for Rogers Best Canadian Documentary are Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee’s Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story (Banger Films, National Film Board of Canada); Michael Toledano, Jennifer Wickham and Brenda Michell’s Yintah (EyeSteelFilm); and Ali Weinstein’s Your Tomorrow (Naiad Productions, Big Cedar Films).

Both awards come with a $50,000 cash prize. The two runners up in each category will receive $5,000.

Outstanding Performance in Canadian Film went to Félix-Antoine Duval in Shepherds. The runners-up were Deragh Campbell in Matt and Mara (MDFF Films) and Roy Dupuis in Rumours. In 2023, the inaugural year for the award, Glenn Howerton was recognized for BlackBerry (Rhombus Media, Zapruder Films).

R.T. Thorne’s 40 Acres (Hungry Eyes Media) was a runner-up for Best First Feature, which was awarded to Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour (ACG Studios, Vertigo Entertainment, BoulderLight Pictures).

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, which he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts, was a runner-up in the adapted screenplay category. That award went to RaMell Ross’ Nickel Boys (Plan B, Louverture Films, Anonymous Content) which he co-wrote with Joslyn Barnes. Nickel Boys also won Best Picture and Best Director.

Lastly, Jeremy Strong was a runner-up in Best Supporting Performance for his role as Roy Cohn in the Canadian copro The Apprentice (Scythia Films, Tailored Films, Profile Pictures). Recognition in that award was split between Yura Borisov in Anora (FilmNation, Cre Film) and Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain (TSG Entertainment, Topic Studios, Fruit Tree).

A special citation was presented to Serena Whitney, programming director of Toronto’s Revue Cinema and the Revue Film Society for their advocacy for community-based independent cinema. Another was given to the Palestinian-Israeli film collective behind the documentary No Other Land — Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor and Hamdan Ballal — for their work documenting forced evictions on the West Bank.

Yet to be announced is the 2024 Luminary Award recognizing an industry figure making significant contributions to Canadian cinema; the Jay Scott Prize for an emerging artist; and the Telefilm Canada Emerging Critic Award.

The awards will be presented on Feb. 24, 2025, at a gala held at Toronto’s Omni King Edward Hotel, hosted by Canadian actor Amanda Brugel (The Handmaid’s Tale).

Image courtesy of Maison 4:3