Spanish Drama ‘La Bola Negra’ wins people’s choice as festival raps 11-day global celebration

Mudassar Iqbal

TORONTO Canada, Sep 21 (APP):The curtains have fallen on the 51st annual Toronto International Film Festival, held from September 10 to September 20, 2026, marking the end of an 11-day showcase that brought more than 200 films, 2,000 accredited media and nearly 7,000 industry delegates to Toronto.

The festival’s opening film was ‘Being Heumann’ by Sian Heder, and its closing film was Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend by Yan Lanouette Turgeon, a biographical sports drama chronicling the early years of Canadian racing legend Gilles Villeneuve.

In a live press conference at TIFF Lightbox on closing day, TIFF announced its full slate of 2026 award winners.

The top honor, the People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers, went to La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. First runner-up was I Play Rocky directed by Peter Farrelly and second runner-up was Being Heumann directed by Siân Heder.

Other major People’s Choice awards including Elsinore directed by Simon Stone People’s Choice Documentary Award Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been directed by Barry Avrich.

The prestigious Platform Prize, TIFF’s only juried competition, was won by  Angh, directed by Theja Rio, while the Platform Special Jury Award went to Brace Your Heart (Garrat Du Váimmu) by Amanda Kernell.

In Short cuts, Best International Short Film went to  MAMMALIA by Elia Kalogianni, Best Canadian Short Film to Fight Kid by Michael Del Monte, and Best Canadian Feature Film Award to Sunburn by Serville Poblete.

With this win, La Bola Negra, which explores what it means to be gay throughout different eras through three interconnected existences, now enters the Oscar race. Historically, TIFF winners have a high chance of Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards.

This year, TIFF also celebrated global diversity through its Tribute Awards. Award-winning filmmaker Bassam Tariq received the TIFF Rising Talent Award for his film Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, which screened in Special Presentations. TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said Tariq’s film “will confirm his reputation as a dazzling storyteller”.

Pakistani representation was prominent this year. Actress and producer Mahira Khan attended TIFF 2026 as part of a Pakistani delegation, participating in Community Impact programming, red carpet screenings, and the panel “Women in South Asian Cinema”. She was also honored along with Bassam Tariq with the Muslim Excellence in Cinema and Arts Award, highlighting the growing footprint of Pakistani and Muslim artists in global cinema and media diplomacy.

Her presence, featuring a 1,440-hour handcrafted Kashidakari chiffon saree, was widely covered as a cultural diplomacy statement for Pakistan at North America’s largest film festival.

For the first time, TIFF formally launched a dedicated Film Market at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, separate from the public screenings, building on its Industry Selects program. Organizers said the market attracted strong business for co-productions, distribution and streaming deals.

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival concludes today. TIFF will return for its 52nd edition from September 9–19, 2027.