'La Bola Negra' wins People's Choice Award at Toronto International Film Festival
The Spanish-language drama drew strong audience support after a Cannes premiere and Netflix acquisition, with TIFF attendees casting the votes.
- On Sunday, September 20, 2026, the Spanish-language drama "La Bola Negra" won the People's Choice Award at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival as the 2026 edition wrapped.
- Directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the Netflix project world-premiered in Cannes this year, where the duo known as "Los Javis" won best director before Netflix acquired it for an awards season push.
- TIFF attendees screened 294 films from 70 countries over 11 days, selecting Peter Farrelly's "I Play Rocky" as first runner-up and Sian Heder's "Being Heumann" as second runner-up.
- Voted on by attendees since 1978, the People's Choice Award is considered a harbinger for the Best Picture Oscar, with previous winners including "Nomadland" and "12 Years a Slave" securing Academy success.
- Netflix scheduled the theatrical release for October 16, positioning the film to capitalize on its Toronto victory as a contender in the upcoming international film and Academy Awards races.
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109 Articles
'La Bola Negra' Wins The People’s Choice Award At The 2026 Toronto International Film Festival
The Spanish queer epic took TIFF’s top audience prize, adding another major win to its growing awards-season momentum after taking Best Director at Ca...
It has a cast headed by Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifés, Lola Dueñas, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close.
The film tells the intertwined stories of three gay men in Spain.
"La Bola Negra" Wins Toronto Film Fest
Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi’s Spanish historical epic/melodrama “La Bola Negra” has won the top prize of the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. The first Cannes world premiere title to win this prize since Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” in 2000, the story of the film spans 1932, 1937, and […]
She is chosen to represent Spain in the category of best international film in the Oscars of the Hollywood Academy.More information: Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo: "'The black ball' is the farewell letter of a couple".
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