‘Carol’ Named Best Film of 2015 by Toronto Film Critics Association

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara’s latest film, Carol, has been named the Best Film of 2015 by members of the Toronto Film Critics Association. The film landed the top prize, while filmmaker Todd Haynes picked up the Best Director prize for the project.

Cate and Rooney were also recently announced as two of the stars in the running for the 2016 best actress Golden Globe. Talking about the project to British TV host Lorraine Kelly, Cate said the dynamics of filming a lesbian love scene were no different from shooting a straight one.

“You know, it’s interesting. It’s not really until you’re confronted with those questions that I even think about it,” she mused. “Of course it’s important that both the protagonists are female. It’s a very important obstacle in the film. But when someone walks in the room, I don’t first and foremost see you and think about your gender, I connect to you as a person.

“So whether you’ve got a love scene between yourself and a man or yourself and woman, it’s equally as embarrassing. You’ve still got the same level of ‘Can I put my hand here’, ‘What if I brush your nipple?’ You still have to have those really boring technical conversations.”

Also a double winner at the Toronto Film Critics Association awards was fantasy film Ex Machina with Alicia Vikander claiming the Best Supporting Actress trophy and author-turned-director Alex Garland landing the Best First Film award, while Phoenix landed the Best Foreign Language Film and a Best Actress gong for leading lady Nina Hoss.

Legend star Tom Hardy won the Best Actor accolade for the second year in a row, while Nina Hoss (Phoenix) was named Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actor title went to Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies).

Other winners included The Big Short (Best Screenplay) and Shaun the Sheep Movie (Best Animated Film).

The winners will be presented with their prizes in January.

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