Netflix has released the first teaser for “La Bola Negra” (“The Black Ball”), a Spanish film that garnered significant attention at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The nearly three-hour epic, which explores queer life across a century of Spanish history, secured the Best Director prize for its creators, Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, known collectively as Los Javis.
The film is structured around three interconnected narratives. One story, set in 1932, is based on an unfinished play by the celebrated gay poet and playwright Federico García Lorca. It follows a young man whose application to his father's exclusive club is complicated by accusations of homosexuality. Another storyline, taking place in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, centers on the relationship between a Nationalist soldier and Rafael Rodríguez Rapún, who was Lorca's real-life lover before the poet's assassination by fascist forces.
A third, contemporary storyline set in 2017 follows a history student researching queer music from the 1920s, whose life is changed by the unexpected death of a long-lost relative. Together, the stories aim to paint a portrait of queer identity, love, and struggle through different eras of Spanish history.
The project is deeply rooted in the legacy of Lorca, who was murdered by nationalist militia in 1936 at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War under Francisco Franco. His work was banned and his body was never found, making him a powerful symbol of art, freedom, and queer identity suppressed by fascism.
The cast includes Penélope Cruz, Glenn Close, and Lola Dueñas, alongside a new generation of Spanish talent. The film also features appearances by queer comedian Julio Torres and Spanish drag performer Yenesi. Following a bidding war at Cannes, Netflix acquired the film and has scheduled it for a theatrical release on October 16, followed by a global streaming debut on December 2. The 47-day theatrical window is the longest for any Netflix film to date, suggesting the company has significant awards season ambitions for the project.
You can watch the first teaser for “La Bola Negra” below.
