The Spanish film “La Bola Negra,” an epic narrative exploring the lives of three gay men over several decades, won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sunday. The award, decided by festivalgoers, is often seen as a strong indicator of future success at the Academy Awards.
Directed by the duo Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, collectively known as Los Javis, “La Bola Negra” received critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, where the directors shared the best director prize with Paweł Pawlikowski for “Fatherland.” The film is inspired by an unfinished story by Federico García Lorca and features performances by singer-songwriter Guitarricadelafuente, along with Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close. Netflix acquired distribution rights following its Cannes debut and will support the film with an awards campaign. The movie is scheduled for a theatrical release on October 16, followed by streaming availability on Netflix starting December 2.
Los Javis described the film as deeply personal, emphasizing its message about the importance of expressing one’s identity. In interviews, the directors also revealed that the production coincided with the end of their personal relationship, noting that working on the film helped them confront their changed dynamic.
The first runner-up for the People’s Choice Award was “I Play Rocky,” a comedy directed by Peter Farrelly about the making of the iconic boxing film “Rocky.” The second runner-up was “Being Heumann,” a documentary by Siân Heder chronicling the activism of disability rights pioneer Judy Heumann. Both are slated for theatrical release in November.
TIFF also presented a People’s Choice Award for international films, which went to “Elsinore,” directed by Simon Stone. The drama stars Andrew Scott portraying the Scottish actor Ian Charleson, who famously performed “Hamlet” while battling AIDS. “Elsinore” is scheduled to open in theaters in November. The first and second runners-up in this category were Lee Chang-dong’s Korean drama “Possible Love” and Hur Jin-ho’s Korean procedural “The Assassin(s),” respectively.
Additionally, the festival’s People’s Choice Documentary Award was given to “Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been,” directed by Barry Avrich, focusing on the 85-year-old vocalist’s career. The audience award for TIFF's Midnight Madness section was awarded to “Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney,” Matthew Rankin’s documentary offering an unconventional look at the former Canadian prime minister.
Historically, the TIFF People’s Choice Award has been a reliable predictor of Oscar nominations and wins, with most winners since 2012 securing best picture nominations at the Academy Awards. This precedent highlights the potential significance of “La Bola Negra” in the upcoming awards season.