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Werewolf, a film about a homeless Cape Breton couple struggling with methadone addiction, is the winner of Rogers Best Canadian Film Award.

Werewolf, a film about a homeless Cape Breton couple struggling with methadone addiction, is the winner of Rogers Best Canadian Film Award.

The $100,000 award was presented to Canadian director Ashley McKenzie at a Toronto Film Critics Association gala on Tuesday night.

Also nominated were Kevan Funk for Hello Destroyer and Joyce Wong for Wexford Plaza, who each took home $5,000 as runners-up for the award.

The film association also announced earlier this month it had selected The Florida Project as best picture — a Sean Baker drama about kids growing up in a welfare motel in the shadow of Disney World.

The film's star, Bria Vinaite, accepted the award Tuesday. She also accepted the award for supporting actor on behalf of her co-star, Willem Dafoe, who sent a video expressing his thanks.

Canadian actresses Saara Chaudry and Soma Chhaya, who provided the voices for Parvana and Shauzia in The Breadwinner, accepted the film's award for best animated feature.

Movies with female lead roles have fared well in the BAFTA nominations count, but no women are nominated in the main directing category, highlighting a wider industry issue.

Reuters

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