The People's Choice Award at TIFF is annually voted upon by the audience, and despite the hybrid experience that mixes in-person and streaming films, this year continues that tradition, with an online voting portal where you can pick your selection.

Several major, buzz-worthy titles such as Dune, Spencer and Last Night In Soho, are not actually eligible this year due to the way these films screened in-person only and as part of a unique selection that showcased these titles outside the normal TIFF slate.

In year's past the winners have gone onto gain plenty of attention, with more than a few Oscar winning best pictures in the mix. Could this year continue this tradition, given the smaller slate of films?

Here are a few films that are the front runners for the TIFF 2021 People's Choice Award.

Belfast

Kenneth Branagh's black-and-white, semi-autobiographical ode has garnered plenty of attention and is far and away the leader for the win. Its mix of the political and the personal makes it primed for a festival break-out. I quite enjoyed it, and many, many others did as well.

Kenneth Branagh Breaks Down in Tears After Triumphant ‘Belfast’ Premiere at TIFF https://t.co/TSlKUuRfCe

— Variety (@Variety) September 13, 2021

Night Raiders

Could a Canadian film take home the top public prize? Seems that Danis Goulet's parable about rescuing the younger generation from the clutches of a reeducation camp may well strike the right balance between being provocative and speaking to wide audiences.

‘Night Raiders’ is a must-watch. Danis Goulet uses speculative fiction to provide a framework to understand the horrors Indigenous people were subjected to on this land. She focuses on the ever-present resilience to assimilation and colonization. The battle is on-going. #TIFF21 pic.twitter.com/FNmMl2OSeM

— ferdosa @ #TIFF21 (@atomicwick) September 11, 2021

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

I didn't love the film, but there are many who adore star Jessica Chastain, and her transformation into the televangelist is certainly the biggest draw of this drama.

THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE paints an honest—and humanizing—portrait of an idiosyncratic woman who was the subject of tabloid fodder in the late 20th century. There are not enough superlatives to describe @jes_chastain’s jaw-dropping transformation into the late televangelist. #TIFF21 pic.twitter.com/mkKZWUEp8W

— Max Gao • 高俊鹏 • #TIFF21 (@MaxJGao) September 13, 2021

All My Puny Sorrows

Another Canadian film that's a long shot, but given how beloved the book is, and with Alison Pill and (TIFF superfan/Venice juror) Sarah Gadon bringing the tears to this emotional story, this may just sneak into the conversation.

ALL MY PUNY SORROWS.
I’m at a loss of words. A heavy film that made it hard to watch multiple times, but also made me laugh loudly. My heart hurts, I walked out shaking. I love this film, but I am currently not okay. #TIFF21 pic.twitter.com/fmHTL3vU19

— Andres Guzman @ TIFF21 (@pocketwriter) September 10, 2021

Power of the Dog

Jane Campion won the Directing prize last week in Venice for her fine drama, a complex tale that channels the likes of There Will Be Blood in this seductive Western. Thanks to some terrific performances and exceptional score, this is a film with legs.