Entertainmentby John Hopewell
Vancouver Film Festival Announces Audience Award Winners
Key Takeaways
- Peter Farrelly's 'I Play Rocky' won the Audience Award at VIFF 2026.
- Banchi Hanuse's documentary 'Ceremony' won in the Showcase category.
- Other category winners include 'Iron Boy', 'Ana, En Passant', and 'Smudge the Blades'.
- The 45th VIFF ran from October 1 to 11, featuring entries from 76 countries.
Peter Farrelly’s “I Play Rocky” emerged as a major winner at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), capturing the Audience Award for Galas & Special Presentations. The film details the compelling real-life story of Sylvester Stallone overcoming long odds to bring his cinematic masterpiece to the big screen.
Other notable winners included Banchi Hanuse’s documentary “Ceremony” in the Showcase category, Louis Clichy’s animated work “Iron Boy” taking the Panorama prize, and Fernanda Salgado’s “Ana, En Passant” winning the Vanguard award. The 45th edition of VIFF featured 162 feature films and 91 shorts from 76 countries.
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