20 Sep 2009

Toronto award for Topp twins documentary

1:34 pm on 20 September 2009

The audience award for top documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday went to the Topp twins.

The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is the story of the New Zealand lesbian country and western singing duo.

The 84 minute documentary was made to mark the twins' 50th birthday.

Containing archive footage and home movies, it documents their career and 25 years of social change in New Zealand.

The twins, Jools and Lynda Topp, talk about themselves and their alter egos: Ken and Ken, Camp Mother and Camp Leader, and Prue and Dilly. They are seen singing, dancing and yodeling on stage and off.

The film also includes Jools Topp's recent brush with breast cancer.

The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls also recently won the audience award at the Melbourne International Film Festival and won best feature film (under $1 million budget) at the Qantas New Zealand Film and TV Awards 2009.

Harlem tale is People's Choice

Top film at the Toronto festival was Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, which received the People's Choice award.

Last year the award went to best picture Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire.

Produced by Oprah Winfrey, Precious made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January. It tells of the abuse and redemption of a teenage girl in Harlem.