‘Three Billboards ...’ tops at TIFF

The signs could be pointing to award season accolades for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” after the dark comedy captured the People’s Choice prize at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The Martin McDonagh film about revenge and redemption in small-town America beat out several other buzzworthy titles for the Grolsch People’s Choice Award at a ceremony Sunday closing out the 11-day festival. The TIFF win comes on the heels of best screenplay honours for “Three Billboards” at the Venice Film Festival.

Oscar winner Frances McDormand is emerging as a contender for another best actress statuette for her powerful turn as a grieving mother seeking vengeance after the rape and murder of her daughter. Her fight for justice arrives in the form of three large-scale signs targeted toward police chief William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson.)

“It’s a story that connects with people. It’s really wellacted,” festival director Piers Handling said of “Three Billboards.” “It’s just told with humour and grit and rawness and doesn’t pull its punches.”

First runner-up was “I, Tonya,” a mockumentarystyle dark comedy starring Margot Robbie as disgraced U.S. figure skater Tonya Harding. The Craig Gillespie film explores Harding’s hardscrabble upbringing and ascension up the skating ranks.