‘La Bola Negra’ Takes 2026 TIFF Audience Award

The generational queer drama “La Bola Negra” has taken the 2026 TIFF People’s Choice Award, a coveted audience prize out of the annual film festival in Toronto.

Directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the Netflix project has been on a tear since world premiering in Cannes this year (where it earned a 16-minute standing ovation and won best director for the pair known as “Los Javis”).

The audience award is largely seen as indicator of legs on the road to the Oscars stage. “La Bola” edged out first runner-up “I Play Rocky,” Peter Farrelly’s crowdpleaser about the making of “Rocky.” Siân Heder’s Apple project “Being Heumann” came in as second runner-up.

The People’s Choice Documentary Award went to “Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been.” Director Barry Avirch examines the life and impact of Love, who spent “many years she spent providing lead and background vocals, often uncredited, for some of the biggest hits of the 1960s while under contract to Phil Spector, the superstar producer who became her nemesis.” The film features interviews with Dionne Warwick, Bruce Springsteen, and David Letterman.

“Elsinore” won the TIFF International People’s Choice Award. Director Simon Stone called the Andrew Scott vehicle “a celebration of life. Of choosing courage and creativity in the face of great challenges,” and a “love letter to actors and artists everywhere … those who give themselves fully to their craft.”