Netflix's 'La Bola Negra' Wins TIFF People's Choice Award

Netflix's Spanish-language film "La Bola Negra" has won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, according to Variety. The win marks the first time a Netflix film has taken TIFF's audience prize, and the first time a non-English-language film has won it in 15 years.

The film, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi — the filmmaking duo known as Los Javis — has also been selected as Spain's submission in the international feature category for the Oscars.

"La Bola Negra" opens in theaters on October 16 and arrives on Netflix on December 2. Its 47-day exclusive theatrical window is the longest in Netflix's history.

Awards Season Context

Non-English-language films have repeatedly come close to Oscar best picture in recent years without winning it. In 2018, "Roma" earned 10 Oscar nominations and won director, cinematography and international feature, but lost best picture to "Green Book." In 2021, "The Power of the Dog" led with 12 nominations and Jane Campion won director, but Apple's "CODA" won best picture. In 2022, "All Quiet on the Western Front" won a record seven BAFTAs and four Oscars but lost best picture to "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

"Emilia Pérez" entered the 97th Oscars with 13 nominations, the most ever for a non-English-language film, before Karla Sofía Gascón's resurfaced social media posts damaged its campaign. Only South Korea's "Parasite" has ever won best picture for a non-English-language film.