The director Steve McQueen won the Blackberry People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival for his drama “12 Years a Slave,†based on the story of Solomon Northup, who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. The award, voted on by audiences, is the festival’s top prize.
Stephen Frears was the first runner-up for “Philomena,†and Denis Villeneuve was the second runner-up for “Prisoners,†the festival said. Other awards were presented to a number of films, including “Why Don’t You Play in Hell?,†“The Square,†“All the Wrong Reasons,†and “Ida.†The 11-day festival ended on Sunday.
