By Joanna Orland
The Toronto International Film Festival revealed this year’s award winners during a live press conference at TIFF Lightbox. The top honours announced were the People’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, voted on by TIFF’s public audience; the Platform Prize, the Festival’s only juried programme; two Canadian feature film awards, Short Cuts, FIPRESCI, and NETPAC awards. In total, 12 awards were handed out, celebrating standout films and breakout talent.
People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: La Bola Negra, dirs. Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi
First runner-up: I Play Rocky, dir. Peter Farrelly
Second runner-up: Being Heumann, dir. Siân Heder
International People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: Elsinore, dir. Simon Stone
First runner-up: Possible Love, dir. Lee Chang-dong
Second runner-up: The Assassin(s), dir. Hur Jin-ho
People’s Choice Documentary Award presented by Rogers: Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been, dir. Barry Avrich
First runner-up: Black Sunflowers, dir. James Marcus Haney
Second runner-up: The Ultra Runner dir. Mila Aung-Thwin
People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award presented by Rogers: Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney, dir. Matthew Rankin
First runner-up: The Spiral, dir. Paolo Strippoli
Second runner-up: Arrested Memory, dir. SABU
Platform Prize: Angh, dir. Theja Rio | India
Special Jury Award: Brace Your Heart (Garrat Du Váimmu), dir. Amanda Kernell | Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Bulgaria
Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film: MAMMALIA, dir. Elia Kalogianni | Greece, Netherlands
Honourable Mention: The Spectacular Death of Prisca, dir. Kaelo Iyizoba | Nigeria
Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film: Fight Kid, dir. Michael Del Monte | Canada
Honourable Mention: Almost Pink, dir. Justine Prince | Canada
Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film: Into The Betaverse, dirs. Varun Raman, Tom Hancock | United Kingdom
Honourable Mention: Terminal, dir. Alexandre Siqueira | Portugal, Spain, France
FIPRESCI Prize: Ancestors, dir. David Turpin | Ireland, United Kingdom
NETPAC Award: Thirteen in Gaza, dir. Hosam Abu Dan | Palestine
Besta Canadian Discovery Award: Smudge the Blades, dir. Cody Lightning | Canada
Honourable Mention: The Black Box is Orange, dir. Yuula Benivolski | Canada
Best Canadian Feature Film Award:
Sunburn, dir. Serville Poblete | Canada
Honourable Mention: Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story, dir. Adrian Buitenhuis | Canada
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TIFF 2026 concludes today. The 52nd edition of the Festival will take place September 9–19, 2027.