Lenny Abrahamson's psychological drama "Room" won the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award on Sunday, snagging one of the fall season’s earliest, if most populist, honors.
Though voted on by the public, the People’s Choice is a key indicator of the award season to come. Six of the last seven winners have gone on to be nominated for Oscar's best picture, with half of the six—“Slumdog Millionaire,” “The King’s Speech” and “!2 Years A Slave”—winning the Academy Awards' top prize. Unlike other festivals, Toronto does not hand out high–profile jury honors.
Based on Emma Donoghue's novel, "Room" stars Brie Larson as a woman imprisoned in a shed and Jacob Tremblay as her young son with whom she endures the ordeal.