Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi’s La Bola Negra (The Black Ball) has been selected as Spain’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards. The Spanish-language drama, which emerged as a major breakout title at the Cannes Film Festival, follows three generations of queer men whose lives become connected through love, loss and the events surrounding them.
Written, directed and produced by Calvo and Ambrossi, collectively known as “Los Javis,” the film features an ensemble cast including Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Penélope Cruz, Lola Dueñas and Oscar-winning actress Glenn Close. The story moves across different generations while exploring queer identity, relationships and personal struggles against a broader historical backdrop.
La Bola Negra premiered at Cannes on May 21 and quickly attracted international attention. Calvo and Ambrossi received the festival’s Best Director award, sharing the honor with Paweł Pawlikowski for Fatherland. The film subsequently became the subject of a competitive bidding war as distributors and studios expressed strong interest in the project.
Produced for less than $15 million, the film takes an unusually ambitious approach to its historical and war elements. Ambrossi described the filmmakers’ goal as creating “the gayest war movie ever,” reflecting their decision to place queer characters and experiences at the center of a large-scale cinematic story.
The filmmakers drew inspiration from major war movies, with Calvo citing Apocalypse Now as an important reference. The production relied heavily on practical filmmaking, using minimal CGI and making extensive use of real locations, extras and practical visual effects. The approach allowed the filmmakers to create a large cinematic world while working within a relatively modest budget.
The film was also shot on 35mm, giving its visual style a traditional theatrical quality. Cruz and Close add further international star power through small but pivotal roles, contributing to the film’s broader appeal while remaining part of an ensemble built around its central generations of characters.
Netflix will release La Bola Negra in theaters on October 16. The film will then arrive on the streaming platform on December 2, following a 47-day theatrical-exclusive window. It will mark the longest theatrical-exclusive period for a Netflix release to date.
With its selection as Spain’s Oscar submission, La Bola Negra now enters the Academy Awards race as the country’s representative in the Best International Feature Film category. Its Cannes recognition, ambitious production and internationally known cast position the film as one of Spain’s significant releases heading into the upcoming awards season.
