The votes for the VIFF 2026 Audience Awards are in, and this year’s winner in the Galas & Special Presentations category, determined by post-screening ballots cast throughout the festival, is I Play Rocky.

The film follows Sylvester Stallone, played by 27-year-old Anthony Ippolito, as he writes Rocky, the 1976 film that made him a star and spawned several sequels, including the newer Creed spin-offs.

Those who aren’t totally familiar with Stallone may wonder about Ippolito’s speech patterns and facial expressions in his portrayal, maybe even thinking he is overacting. But the consensus online is that he nails it.

Fans may also recognize some iconic scenes and even gain a new understanding of what it took to get the iconic film made.

I Play Rocky was directed by Peter Farrelly, but don’t expect another There’s Something About Mary or Dumb and Dumber. There are some laughs, but the film is a true period drama that manages to keep viewers guessing.

VIFF 2026 Audience Awards are broken down by category. This year’s winners were:

Category: Galas & Special Presentations
I Play Rocky (dir. Peter Farrelly, USA)

Category: Showcase
Ceremony (dir. Banchi Hanuse, Canada)

Category: Panorama
Iron Boy (dir. Louis Clichy, France/Belgium)

Category: Vanguard
Ana, En Passant (dir. Fernanda Salgado, Brazil/Portugal)

Category: Northern Lights
Smudge the Blades (dir. Cody Lightning, Canada)

Category: Focus on New German Cinema
Prosecution (dir. Faraz Shariat, Germany)

Category: Insights
Concrete Land (dir. Asmahan Bkerat, Jordan/Palestine)

Category: Spectrum
Daughters of the Forest (dir. Otilia Portillo Padua, Mexico)

Category: Portraits
Tenor: My Name Is Parti (dir. Rebecca Tansley, New Zealand)

Category: Altered States
Jim Queen (dir. Marco Nguyen, Nicolas Athané, France)

I Play Rocky opens to a limited theatrical release Nov. 6 and a nationwide release Nov. 20.