Entertainment · Film · 1 hr ago
Los Javis’ La Bola Negra enters the Oscar race after Cannes success
Spanish directors Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo have become international names with their film La Bola Negra.
The film follows three gay men across generations, linking their lives from the early 20th century through the Spanish Civil War to the present.
Its story explores queer identity and the pain passed between generations, including the lives of poet Federico García Lorca and his contemporaries.
The film shared Cannes’ best director award with Pawel Pawlikowski’s Fatherland.
Netflix acquired the film after a bidding contest and will give it a 46-day exclusive cinema run, its longest ever.
It is expected to challenge for best picture at the Oscars, though no nomination is confirmed.
Netflix plans to release it in select theaters on Friday.
Spanish writing-directing duo Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, known as Los Javis, have entered the Oscar race with their film La Bola Negra after its Cannes success.
The film won the Cannes award for best director, shared with Pawel Pawlikowski.
Netflix won a bidding war for the film and plans a 46-day exclusive cinema run, its longest ever.
La Bola Negra follows the interconnected lives of three gay men across the early 20th century, the Spanish Civil War and the modern day.
The $15 million Spanish film is expected to challenge The Odyssey for best picture.
- Who
- Spanish filmmakers Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, known as Los Javis, and their film La Bola Negra.
- What
- The film has entered the Oscar race following its Cannes success.
- When
- It was selected for Cannes earlier in 2026. Netflix is scheduled to release it in select theaters Friday.
- Where
- The Cannes Film Festival; Netflix plans a select-theater release.
- Why
- The film received a rapturous response at Cannes and won the festival’s best director award, shared by Ambrossi and Calvo with Pawel Pawlikowski.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
La Bola Negra was selected for the Cannes Film Festival.
Ambrossi and Calvo shared the festival’s best director award with Pawel Pawlikowski.
Netflix is scheduled to release La Bola Negra in select theaters.
- Filmmakers
- Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, known as Los Javis
- Cannes award
- Best director, shared with Pawel Pawlikowski
- Film budget
- $15 million
- Netflix cinema run
- 46 days, the longest ever for the company
- Story span
- Early 20th century, the Spanish Civil War and the modern day
What people are saying
Every generation needs that big movie that speaks to their desires, their warmth
They fought for us. They died for us. We were crying on the set every day.
Maybe audiences aren’t used to that because movies are supposed to be liked by everyone at the same time
It was not that long ago. My grandmother is 90. It was yesterday, and we have forgotten that.
Sources
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