The Vogue Theatre on Granville Street, Vancouver.
Culture

'I Play Rocky' and 'Ceremony' take VIFF audience awards

Audiences chose 10 favourites across the festival's sections.

The Vogue Theatre on Granville Street, Vancouver.

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Peter Farrelly's 'I Play Rocky', about Sylvester Stallone's journey to make 'Rocky', won the Audience Award for Galas and Special Presentations at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival, Variety reports.

Banchi Hanuse's documentary 'Ceremony', which had already won the juried Tides Award, won the Showcase audience award. Cody Lightning's hockey drama 'Smudge the Blades' won the Northern Lights award.

The 45th festival ran Oct. 1 to 11 with 162 features and 91 short films from 76 countries.

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