La Bola Negra selected as Spain’s entry for the 2027 Oscars

Spain has officially chosen its contender for the 2027 Academy Awards. La Bola Negra, the acclaimed new film from Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, has been selected to represent the country in the Best International Feature Film category.

The film, from the duo known as Los Javis, beat Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s Los Domingos and Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s El Ser Querido to secure Spain’s Oscar submission.

Set across three different time periods – 1932, 1937 and 2017 – La Bola Negra explores the interconnected lives of three gay men and the persecution, desire and love that shape their stories. The film is inspired by Federico García Lorca’s unfinished novel of the same name, as well as Alberto Conejero’s play La Piedra Oscura.

Watch UK Trailer For La Bola Negra

The film had its world premiere in Competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where Calvo and Ambrossi took home the Best Director award. It was also met with a reported 20-minute standing ovation at its premiere.

La Bola Negra stars Guitarricadelafuente, Carlos González, Miguel Bernardeau, Lola Dueñas and Penélope Cruz, with Glenn Close also appearing in the film.

Calvo and Ambrossi’s additional film credits include 2017’s Holy Camp! (La llamada), as well as the 2016 comedy series Paquita Salas, the 2020 biographical series Veneno, and the 2023 family thriller La mesías.

Calvo also holds producer credits on 2021’s Cardo and 2023’s Vestidas de azul, while Ambrossi produced the 2025 biographical miniseries Superstar for Netflix.

UK audiences will also have the chance to catch the film at the BFI London Film Festival, where it is part of the 70th edition’s 2026 programme. The BFI describes it as a “genre-defying queer epic” rooted in the legacy of Federico García Lorca.

The selection marks the beginning of La Bola Negra’s journey towards the 99th Academy Awards, with the final nominations set to be announced in January 2027.