The 2026 People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) went to La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (Los Javis). The film also stands out as the first Netflix production to win the prize. A Spain and France co-production, it was announced at the festival’s Sunday awards ceremony.
Who took the People’s Choice prizes?
La Bola Negra won, Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky was the runner-up and Sian Heder’s Being Heumann was the second runner-up. Among the festival’s other audience awards, the International prize went to Simon Stone’s Elsinore, the Documentary prize to Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been and the Midnight Madness prize to Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney.
Why it matters
The TIFF People’s Choice Award is known as one of the most reliable early signals in the Oscar race: thirteen of the last sixteen winners went on to a Best Picture nomination. That strengthens La Bola Negra’s standing in awards season. The film had also been named Spain’s Oscar entry.
Elsinore stands out too
The International People’s Choice winner, Elsinore, is a biography in which Andrew Scott plays Ian Charleson. It opens in the US on November 20 and is one of the films named in awards-season forecasts.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 TIFF People’s Choice Award? La Bola Negra.
Why is it a first? It is the first time a Netflix film has won the prize.
The International People’s Choice Award? Elsinore.
Which film was the runner-up? Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky.
