Denver Film Festival: La Bola Negra Takes Best Feature Prize
Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo's film won the Krzysztof Kieslowski Award as the 49th edition wrapped; Peter Farrelly's I Play Rocky took the narrative audience prize.
La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, won the Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film at the 49th Denver Film Festival, organizers announced as the event closed on November 1, according to IndieWire. The festival ran from October 22 to November 1 and screened 130 films.
Peter Farrelly's I Play Rocky won the Audience Award for narrative feature. The film is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026.
In the documentary categories, Dongnan Chen's Whispers in May took the Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary, while Good Help won the Audience Award for documentary feature. We Were Here received the Audience Award for short film, and The River won the True Grit Award, the festival's local film prize.
Earlier stops on the circuit
The Denver win adds to a run for La Bola Negra that began earlier in the year: in May it won Best Director at Cannes, in September it took the audience award at TIFF, and it recently won the audience award at the BFI London Film Festival. I Play Rocky won the audience award at the Virginia Film Festival in October and was runner-up to La Bola Negra in Toronto's audience award category. Whispers in May previously won this year's CPH:DOX.
Quick answers
Which film won Best Feature at the 2026 Denver Film Festival?
La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, won the Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film.
When does I Play Rocky come out?
Peter Farrelly's I Play Rocky is set for release on November 20, 2026.
How many films screened at the 49th Denver Film Festival?
The festival, held October 22 to November 1, showcased 130 films.