At Toronto Film Festival, 'popular' was a relative term

For a festival that can be a hotbed of Oscar-predicting hysteria, the scuttling of the "best popular movie" category by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences barely registered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Most were too in the thrall of the 254 feature films unspooling across the festival to much care about the academy's withdrawn bid for a more commercial best picture award. And if the 'popular' film Oscar category was meant as a corrective to a widening gap between mainstream audiences and the movie industry's best work, Toronto — the sprawling centerpiece of the fall movie season — served as one big reminder of just how easily art and "popularity" can mix.

Such divisions were hard to delineate in the cacophonous reception, from critics and audiences, to Lady Gaga in "A Star Is Born" or the fervor for the French filmmaker Claire Denis' first English-language film, "High Life," a space drama with Robert Pattinson. An avalanche of applause met "Green Book," Peter Farrelly's heartening road movie, while crowds swooned for Barry Jenkins' lyrical James Baldwin adaptation "If Beale Street Could Talk." Damien Chazelle's Neil Armstrong drama "First Man" hit Toronto on IMAX. Activism mixed with cinema, from Michael Moore's Donald Trump-era documentary "Fahrenheit 11/9" to the Black Lives Matter-inspired drama "The Hate U Give."

Actor Robert Pattinson poses for photographs on the red carpet after arriving for the new movie "High Life" during the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

In short, the populist power of movies was on full display.

"Art is one of our most powerful weapons. And this art form is our most populist art form," said Moore. "This is the art form that just about everybody can afford. You can't afford to go see U2 at the Garden. You can't afford to go see the Knicks or the Giants."

Tickets aren't cheap at the Toronto Film Festival, either. But the nearly half a million festival attendees at Toronto are an integral part to the festival's unique atmosphere, spread out across theaters big and small in the Canadian city's downtown. Most other major film festivals cater more to film buyers or industry elite, but in Toronto, the alchemy of movie and audience is an essential part of the proceedings.

Actress Amandla Stenberg poses for photographs on the red carpet after arriving for the new movie "The Hate U Give" during the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

That's why Toronto's most keenly sought award isn't a juried prize but a people's choice award. This year, it went to "Green Book," the festival breakout that came to represent the particularly crowd-pleasing TIFF. That Farrelly, half of the sibling duo behind "There's Something About Mary" and "Kingpin," was the toast of a prestigious film festival was a surprise even to him.

"I once thought 'Dumb and Dumber' was in the Cannes Film Festival but then I learned my brother was just busting my balls," Farrelly joked at his film's premiere.

"Green Book," similar in tone to the 2016 Oscar-nominated "Hidden Figures," manages to comment on harsh period realities of racism while remaining comic and uplifting. A kind of "Driving Miss Daisy" in reverse, it stars Mahershala Ali ("Moonlight") as a classical pianist touring the Deep South with an Italian-American bouncer (Viggo Mortensen) for a chauffeur.

Lady Gaga attends the gala for "A Star is Born" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Toronto. (Photo by Evan AgostiniInvisionAP)

If history holds (the last ten winners of Toronto's audience award have all been nominated for best picture at the Oscars), "Green Book" will join what's shaping up to be — ironically considering the academy's efforts — an especially populist field of contenders. Also prominently in the mix in the early going are: "Black Panther," ''BlacKkKlansman," ''A Star Is Born" and "First Man."

Following its Golden Lion win at the Venice Film Festival and its equally acclaimed bow in Toronto, Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma" may be the fall's most celebrated film. It has many of the hallmarks of the "art film" — a deeply personal movie filmed in black-and-white at a carefully composed remove from its characters. But "Roma" is also a Netflix release, meaning that it will be much more widely streamed than seen in theaters. It's possible that, given Netflix's 130 million global subscribers, as many will have seen "Roma" by the Oscars as those who have bought tickets to "Green Book" or "A Star Is Born."

And if the nature of a "popular" movie is shifting because of streaming, the opinion-makers that can shape awards season may be, too. Toronto paid the way for some 180 critics from underrepresented groups in an effort to diversify its press corps. The festival also hosted a women's rally and touted that its lineup featured 35 percent women filmmakers.

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, Viola Davis attends the premiere for "Widows" on Day 3 of the Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. Davis told The New York Times she has regrets about her role as a maid in the 2011 film “The Help.” (Photo by Evan AgostiniInvisionAP, File)

Among the many standouts was Karyn Kusama's "Destroyer," which stars a nearly unrecognizable Nicole Kidman as a bitter, hard-drinking Los Angeles police detective. Kidman was just one of the many actresses whose sterling, adventurous performances lit up Toronto, including Viola Davis ("Widows"), Carey Mulligan ("Wildfire"), Natalie Portman ("Vox Lux"), Amandla Stenberg ("The Hate U Give"), Melissa McCarthy ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?") and newcomer KiKi Layne ("Beale Street").

Best actress is already looking like the year's most competitive category.

"If you look at all the female performances this year, it's crazy how many brilliant roles there are for women," said Mulligan. "So it's definitely moving in the right direction, but to get to parity, it will take longer. People will have to keep beating the drum."

Actress Nicole Kidman poses for photographs on the red carpet for the new movie "Boy Erased" during the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018. T(Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

"Widows," directed by Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave"), encompassed much of what defined this year's Toronto, and then some. Ostensibly a heist movie about a group of recently widowed women who try to pull off the job their dead husbands had planned, McQueen turns the genre thriller into a wide-ranging exploration of gender equality, racial divisions and politics. The filmmaker said he was inspired by 1970s movies like "The Godfather" and "Chinatown"

"They brought the audience with them, as well as brought the sophistication. They catered to the high and to the low," said McQueen. "But I don't think there's any high and low. I think there are just good movies and bad movies, and that's it."

Whether the good vibes in Toronto will transfer to the quickening Oscar race or to this fall's box office won't be clear for months. But as a tone-setter, Toronto set a course that could help redefine what "popular" means to the Academy Awards.

Actors Claire Foy, left, and Ryan Gosling attend the press conference for "First Man" on day 6 of the Toronto International Film Festival, at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018, in Toronto. (Photo by Evan AgostiniInvisionAP)

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

This image released by Annapurna Pictures shows Stephan James, left, and KiKi Layne in a scene from "If Beale Street Could Talk." (Tatum MangusAnnapurna Pictures via AP)

Director Steve McQueen poses with paper cutouts of his face as he attends the premiere for "Widows" on day 3 of the Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, in Toronto. (Photo by Evan AgostiniInvisionAP)

Bradley Cooper, left, and Lady Gaga attend the gala for "A Star is Born" on Day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, in Toronto. (Photo by Evan AgostiniInvisionAP)

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont announced Monday he will run for reelection this year, squelching speculation that the 82-year-old progressive icon might retire at a time when the Democratic Party is anxious about the advancing age of its top leaders.

Hailing from a Democratic stronghold, Sanders' decision virtually guarantees that he will return to Washington for a fourth Senate term. And his announcement comes at a critical moment for Democrats as the party navigates a growing divide over Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

Sanders has criticized President Joe Biden's handling of the U.S. relationship with Israel even as he's hailed much of Biden's domestic agenda ahead of what could be a tough reelection fight for Biden against presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Sanders said he wants the war in Gaza ended immediately, massive humanitarian aid to follow and no more money sent to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"We are living in a complicated and difficult political moment," Sanders told The Associated Press on Monday. “I very strongly disagree with Biden in terms of the war in Gaza.”

At home, he said, the presidential election is between Biden and Trump, “and Donald Trump is in my view the most dangerous president, has been the most dangerous president in American history.”

With the prospect of Trump's possible return to the White House, Sanders framed his bid to return to the Senate as being driven by concerns about the future of democracy in the U.S. In an announcement video, he said that in many ways the 2024 election “is the most consequential election in our lifetimes.”

“Will the United States continue to even function as a democracy, or will we move to an authoritarian form of government?” he said. He questioned whether the country will reverse what he called “the unprecedented level of income and wealth inequality” and if it can create a government that works for all, and not continue with a political system dominated by wealthy campaign contributors.

Known for his liberal politics and crusty demeanor, Sanders has been famously consistent over his 40 years in politics, championing better health care paid for by the government, higher taxes for the wealthy, less military intervention and major solutions for climate change. He has also spent his career trying to hold corporate executives to account, something that he’s had more power to do as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Sanders is an independent. He was a Democratic congressman for 16 years and still caucuses with the Democrats.

He sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020. He said a year ago that he would forgo another presidential bid and endorse Biden’s reelection this year.

“I have been, and will be if re-elected, in a strong position to provide the kind of help that Vermonters need in these difficult times,” Sanders said in a review of his positions as chairman of the important Senate panel and a member of the chamber's Democratic leadership team, as well as a senior member of various other committees.

AP writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed from Washington.

FILE - Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., smiles as he addresses Unite Here Local 11 workers holding a rally, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. Sanders is running for re-election. The 82-year-old, from Vermont, announced Monday, May 6, that he's seeking his fourth term in the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

FILE - Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a news conference, Jan. 25, 2024, at the Capitol in Washington. Sanders is running for re-election. The 82-year-old, from Vermont, announced Monday, May 6, that he's seeking his fourth term in the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)