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The list of winners was emailed out on Sunday morning before TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey could announce it during a ceremony at the festival’s headquarters, the Lightbox.

Avrich accepted the award to subdued applause during the ceremony.

“Cameron, thank you, I appreciate everything that TIFF has done for us,” Avrich said.

The film chronicles retired Israeli general Noam Tibon鈥檚 effort to rescue his family during the 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel, when 1,200 people were killed and 251 abducted.

Last month, TIFF said it pulled the film from its lineup due to security concerns and rights issues, prompting criticism from politicians, Jewish organizations and entertainment industry figures.聽

The festival reinstated the film days later, and Bailey promised clearer communication around programming decisions.

Reporters were told Bailey would not be available for interviews on Sunday.

Some pro-Palestinian demonstrators called the documentary 鈥淚sraeli propaganda,鈥� though they hadn鈥檛 seen it.聽

As the winner, the documentary was scheduled to screen Sunday afternoon.聽

Meanwhile, the general People’s Choice Award 鈥� long considered a bellwether for the Oscars 鈥� went to “Hamnet,” Chloe Zhao’s Shakespeare origin story starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley.

“Frankenstein,” directed by Guillermo del Toro, was named first runner-up, while Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” was second runner-up for the coveted prize.

The People’s Choice Award for the favoured film in the Midnight Madness program went to Matt Johnson’s “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie.”

The best Canadian feature award went to “Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband),” directed by Zacharias Kunuk.

“Blue Heron,” a film from 色色啦’s Sophy Romvari, won the best Canadian discovery award, a jury prize that goes to an early-career filmmaker.聽

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2025.