The Black Ball

The Black Ball (2026)



La bola negra

8.0 2026 159 min France, Spain

Director: Javier Ambrossi

Cast: Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas

Drama
Across three eras—Republican Spain of 1932, the Civil War-ravaged year of 1937, and modern-day Spain in 2017—a web of intertwined destinies unfolds, anchored by three young men. Their personal and political reverberations ripple through time, slowly surfacing to connect past and present in a haunting, layered narrative.

More About This Film

The Black Ball is a Spanish historical drama connecting the lives of three gay men across different periods of Spanish history. The film draws together personal relationships, family memory, sexuality, and the legacy of Federico García Lorca's unfinished work of the same name.

Los Javis approach the material as a multi-generational story, moving between historical and contemporary settings. The result combines intimate personal drama with a broader reflection on how identity and memory can persist across decades.

  • Directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo.
  • The film stars Guitarricadelafuente, Penélope Cruz, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, and Glenn Close.
  • It premiered in the main competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
  • The directors received the Best Director award at Cannes.
  • The film is inspired by Federico García Lorca's unfinished work La bola negra and Alberto Conejero's play La piedra oscura.

Where to Watch

The Black Ball is receiving a theatrical rollout in Spain before its wider digital release, with Netflix distribution announced for later in 2026.