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The 51st Toronto International Film Festival has announced its 2026 award winners, with La Bola Negra, co-directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, receiving the festival’s top People’s Choice Award. The Spain-France co-production led the audience awards announced at the festival’s closing ceremony in Toronto, alongside winners across the Platform, Short Cuts, FIPRESCI, NETPAC and Canadian competitions.

Presented by Rogers, the People’s Choice Awards are selected by Toronto audiences and cover four categories: overall, International, Documentary and Midnight Madness. The awards were first established in 1978. The overall People’s Choice Award went to La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, a Spain-France joint production. I Play Rocky, directed by Peter Farrelly (US), was named first runner-up, while Being Heumann, directed by Siân Heder (US), was second runner-up. The International People’s Choice Award went to Elsinore, directed by Simon Stone (UK), followed by Possible Love, directed by Lee Chang-dong (South Korea), as first runner-up and The Assassin(s), directed by Hur Jin-ho (South Korea), as second runner-up.

The People’s Choice Documentary Award was awarded to Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been, directed by Barry Avrich (Canada). Black Sunflowers, directed by James Marcus Haney (Ukraine/US), was first runner-up, while The Ultra Runner, directed by Mila Aung-Thwin (Canada), was second runner-up. The People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award went to Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney, directed by Matthew Rankin (Canada). The Spiral, directed by Paolo Strippoli (Italy/France/Belgium), was first runner-up, followed by Arrested Memory, directed by SABU (Taiwan/Japan).

Platform Prize
The Platform Prize, launched in 2015, recognises filmmakers with a strong directorial vision and distinctive storytelling. The 2026 programme featured 12 films, with an international five-member jury selecting the winner of a CAD 20,000 prize. The Platform Prize went to Angh, directed by Theja Rio (India). The jury also gave an Honourable Mention to Brace Your Heart, directed by Amanda Kernell, a Sweden-Norway-Denmark-Iceland-Bulgaria co-production.

Short Cuts Awards
The Short Cuts programme awarded prizes for Best International Short Film, Best Canadian Short Film and Best Animated Short Film, with each winner receiving a CAD 10,000 bursary. Best International Short Film: MAMMALIA, directed by Elia Kalogianni (Greece/Netherlands) Honourable Mention: The Spectacular Death of Prisca, directed by Kaelo Iyizoba (Nigeria) Best Canadian Short Film: Fight Kid, directed by Michael Del Monte (Canada) Honourable Mention: Almost Pink, directed by Justine Prince (Canada) Best Animated Short Film: Into the Betaverse, co-directed by Varun Raman and Tom Hancock (UK) Honourable Mention: Terminal, directed by Alexandre Siqueira (Portugal/Spain/France)

FIPRESCI and NETPAC awards
The FIPRESCI Prize, presented by the International Federation of Film Critics, went to Ancestors, directed by David Turpin, an Ireland-UK joint production. The prize recognises an emerging filmmaker with a debut feature having its World Premiere in TIFF’s Discovery or Centrepiece programmes.
The NETPAC Award, which recognises an Asian or Pacific film by a first- or second-time feature director, went to Thirteen in Gaza, directed by Hosam Abu Dan (Palestine).

Canadian awards
The Best Canadian Discovery Award, which recognises emerging Canadian filmmakers whose first or second feature brings a distinctive voice to the country’s film landscape, went to Smudge the Blades, directed by Cody Lightning. The winner receives a CAD 10,000 cash prize. The Black Box is Orange, directed by Yuula Benivolski, received an Honourable Mention.
The Best Canadian Feature Film Award went to Sunburn, directed by Serville Poblete. The award also carries a CAD 10,000 cash prize. Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story, directed by Adrian Buitenhuis, received an Honourable Mention.