“La Bola Negra,” a remarkable Spanish film that explores the lives of three gay men, has recently won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). This recognition places it in the spotlight as a strong contender for the upcoming Academy Awards.
The People’s Choice Award is voted on by festivalgoers and is often seen as a reliable predictor for Oscar nominations. In fact, since 2012, nearly every winner of this award has received a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. The only exception was in 2024, when Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Life of Chuck” took home the honor. Last year, “Hamnet” won and later received eight Oscar nominations.
Directed by the talented duo known as Los Javis — Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo — “La Bola Negra” has already made waves at the Cannes Film Festival, where it shared the Best Director award with Paweł Pawlikowski for his film “Fatherland.”
Netflix saw the potential in “La Bola Negra” and acquired it at Cannes, launching a comprehensive awards campaign to support the film. The streaming giant is also giving it its longest theatrical release ever. Audiences can catch “La Bola Negra” in theaters starting October 16, with streaming available on Netflix beginning December 2.
In a statement, Los Javis expressed their gratitude, saying, “This is a deeply personal film but it also carries a message of the importance and necessity of expressing who you are. Knowing that audiences connected with it and made it their own is the greatest gift we could receive.”
The first runner-up for the TIFF People’s Choice Award was “I Play Rocky,” a comedy directed by Peter Farrelly about the making of the famous film “Rocky.” The second runner-up was “Being Heumann,” directed by Siân Heder, which focuses on Judy Heumann, a pioneer for disability rights.
TIFF also recognizes international films with a People’s Choice Award. This year, that honor went to “Elsinore,” featuring Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson, a Scottish actor who bravely performed “Hamlet” in London while battling AIDS. The first runner-up in this category was “Possible Love,” a Korean drama by Lee Chang-dong, while the second runner-up was “The Assassin(s)” by Hur Jin-ho.
In the documentary category, “Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been,” which highlights the life of the 85-year-old vocalist, took home the People’s Choice Award. Additionally, the Midnight Madness section awarded its audience choice to “Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney,” a unique documentary by Matthew Rankin about the former Canadian prime minister.
The 51st edition of TIFF wrapped up on Sunday, leaving audiences excited about the films showcased and their potential impact on the upcoming awards season.
