Entertainment

Toronto top prize goes to film from Lebanon

September 18, 2011 / 6:04 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Lebanese actress and director Nadine Labaki discusses her film during an interview in Paris on Sept. 13, 2011. It won the top prize at the Toronto Film Festival. AP Photo/Jacques Brinon

TORONTO (CBS/AP) A drama set in war-torn Lebanon has won the people's choice award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Lebanese-Canadian director Nadine Labaki's "Where Do We Go Now?" was chosen the favorite feature film by fans at the festival. The winner was announced Sunday at a closing brunch for the 11-day festival.

Pictures:Toronto Film Festival

The people's choice award has been a bellwether for Oscar success. Last year's winner, "The King's Speech," went on to win four Academy Awards, including best picture. Other Toronto winners that found favor with Oscar have been "American Beauty," "Crash," and "Slumdog Millionaire."

The film, which Labaki reportedly wrote in Beirut in 2007, debuted at Cannes earlier this year. It already is Lebanon's official entry into the Foreign Language Film category at February's Academy Awards.

Philippe Falardeau's "Monsieur Lazhar" is the winner of the prize for best Canadian feature, while Nathan Morlando's "Edwin Boyd" is the choice for the best first Canadian feature prize.