The Toronto International Film Festival, alongside the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema (NETPAC), announced FIPRESCI and NETPAC award winners for work screened at TIFF 2020.

“This year’s Official Selection had a truly stellar collection of international films,” said Diana Sanchez, Senior Director of Film at TIFF. “During such a unique year, TIFF is so grateful to global film criticism and appreciation bodies like NETPAC and FIPRESCI for continuing to recognize the work of talented filmmakers.”

The 2020 FIPRESCI prize is awarded to the film Beginning, directed by Dea Kulumbegashvili. The jury released the following statement: “The prize goes to a brave and fresh quiet storm of a film that depicts the condition of being a woman in Georgia, masterfully portrayed in a universal manner by Ia Sukhitashvili. The film’s precise dialogue is perfectly balanced by an ominous silence that creates a full sensory experience. This is an emotionally compelling debut feature by a filmmaker whose voice feels established and one to watch.”

The NETPAC jury selected Tarzan Nasser and Arab Nasser’s Gaza mon amour as this year’s NETPAC Award winner. The jury selected this film “for a heartwarming, thought-provoking and poetic tale of unspoken emotions portraying daily life in Gaza.”