The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as gay code-breaker and mathematician Alan Turing, won the People's Choice Award at this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) over the weekend. TIFF's audience award is often a sign of Oscar honors to come with previous winners including 12 Years a Slave, American Beauty, Slumdog Millionaire and Silver Linings Playbook. Check out the trailer below, The Imitation Game hits theaters on November 21.
Turing is known as a pioneer of modern-day computing and is credited with cracking the German Enigma code and contributing to the production of the first computer. During World War II, he became part of Britain's top-secret code-breaking center and his contributions significantly shortened the war and saved countless lives. Turing eventually became a victim of an unenlightened British establishment when he was prosecuted for being gay and ultimately took his own life. Nonetheless, he is undoubtedly one of the most legendary and influential computer scientists in history.
The Imitation Game will be released in the US on November 21.