The Academy Awards have a Spanish representative for the Best International Feature Film category, and it is a Cannes breakout about queer love across three generations. La Bola Negra (The Black Ball), from filmmakers Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, has been selected to represent Spain.
The story follows three generations of queer men bound together by love and loss. It was written alongside Alberto Conejero, and it was directed and produced by “Los Javis.”. The Cannes premiere drew a bidding war between distributors, and the directors walked away with the festival’s best director prize, sharing it with Paweł Pawlikowski for Fatherland in a tie.
The Story Behind the Movie
Three generations of queer men, tied together by love and loss, are the subjects of this film about family and grief. “Los Javis.”, who wrote the screenplay with Alberto Conejero, also directed and produced it.
The ensemble features Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Penélope Cruz, Lola Dueñas and Glenn Close, the U.S. Oscar-winning superstar.
A Bidding War at Cannes
The film La Bola Negra had its first showing in Cannes on May 21. That festival premiere then sparked a competitive bidding war for the right to distribute the movie.
The world premiere of the festival’s best director prize for the film in a tie with Paweł Pawlikowski for Fatherland. The award came at the film’ was given to Los Javis at Cannes.
Word-of-Mouth at Telluride
Recently, THR’s David Canfield spoke with the Javis as the film hit Telluride, and they described it becoming a bona fide word-of-mouth hit.
Made for under $15 million, the Spanish-language drama offers immense scope. “We thought, ‘Let’s make the gayest war movie ever,'” Ambrossi told THR. “That’s the politics behind this. And no one told us to change it a bit. And now, here we are.”
How They Made It
Calvo says the film was made with reverence for the great war films like Apocalypse Now, and the directors used minimal CGI. They made the most of every practical location, extra and visual effect available to them.
The film La Bola Negra was also captured in 35mm. Close and Cruz supplied the star power, though their contributions were small and only appeared now and then.
The Netflix Release Plan
The film La Bola Negra will hit movie theaters on Oct. 16, with a streaming debut following 47 days later on Dec. 2. That theatrical run before its streaming release is the longest ever for the company.
| Detail | Number |
|---|---|
| World premiere date | May 21 |
| Director prize tied with | Paweł Pawlikowski for Fatherland |
| Budget | Under $15 million |
| Theatrical release date | Oct. 16 |
| Streaming date | Dec. 2 |
| Theatrical window length | 47 days |
The Cast Lineup
Among the names in the credits, Spanish and American talent are well represented.
- Guitarricadelafuente
- Miguel Bernardeau
- Carlos González
- Milo Quifes
- Penélope Cruz
- Lola Dueñas
- Glenn Close
Close is a U.S. Oscar winner, while Cruz is a major Spanish actress, and together they bring star power to the film without ever taking over the story.
What the Directors Said
The project’s ambition to be the gayest war movie ever is what makes it so distinctive. Ambrossi wanted to make that happen, and he did it entirely on his own, without anyone telling him to alter it.
The politics of the film are built on bonds between queer generations. Love and loss tie together the three men at its center, each from a different generation.
The Road Ahead
The selection for Spain’s Oscar entry has been settled, with La Bola Negra chosen to represent the nation in the Best International Feature Film category.
The movie begins its run in theaters on Oct. 16, with a Netflix premiere following on Dec. 2.
Our View
Ambition paid off for these filmmakers, as a Cannes premiere sparked a bidding war, a best director prize and a word-of-mouth hit. The directors held their ground, and they came out victorious.
In the company’s history, the gap between a film’s Netflix debut and its theatrical release has never been longer. This fact stands on its own as a noteworthy observation.
This gay war movie carries a strong cast and a clear political heart, making it an apt pick for Spain’s Oscar entry.
This is a story worth watching.
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