Spanish queer drama links three generations amid political prejudice
La Bola Negra, a Spanish film by directing duo Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, links three stories about queer lives and prejudice across 1932, 1937 and 2017. Its ambitious scale and theatrical style have made it an awards contender, while its focus on LGBTQ+ characters against Spain’s history gives the story wider political resonance.
The film won a joint best director prize at Cannes and is tipped for major Oscar nominations. Its cast includes Penélope Cruz in a blond wig and Glenn Close speaking Spanish, and its stories connect through an unfinished work by poet Federico García Lorca. It will have a 47-day US cinema run before its rights go to Netflix.
In short
- La Bola Negra spans three eras of queer Spanish history.
- The Cannes-winning film is tipped for Oscar recognition.
- It will stay in US cinemas for 47 days before Netflix.
Explained simply
La Bola Negra is a Spanish film directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo. It follows queer characters in three periods—1932, 1937 and 2017—and connects their stories through an unfinished work by poet Federico García Lorca.
The different periods place the characters’ experiences alongside changes in Spain’s politics and society. The film’s focus on prejudice and LGBTQ+ lives gives it a wider historical context, while its theatrical style and well-known cast have drawn attention from film audiences.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “‘It’s the gay Titanic!’ Inside La Bola Negra, the maximalist queer spectacular bound for Oscars glory”.