La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (Los Javis), has been chosen as Spain’s entry for Best International Feature at the 2027 Oscars. The film also stands out for its festival record and reaches Netflix in the US and Canada on December 2, 2026.
The Oscar entry
Spain’s Film Academy picked the film in mid-September over The Beloved and Sundays. The choice was announced at the Academy’s Madrid headquarters, with Alejandro Amenábar opening the envelope. The film is also named near the top of awards-season forecasts.
Festival journey
La Bola Negra played in the main competition at Cannes, and the directing duo shared the Best Director prize with Pawel Pawlikowski. The film also won the Audience Award at Toronto and the Audience Award at San Sebastián. Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close are in the cast.
Story and tone
With a narrative spanning a century, the film is described as a tribute to queer history. That suggests a structure that is both historical and personal.
Release calendar
In Spain the film opened in cinemas on September 25, 2026, right after its San Sebastián premiere. It opens in the UK and Ireland on November 6 and in France on December 16. In the US and Canada it gets a limited theatrical run first, then reaches Netflix on December 2. There is no announcement for Turkey.
Frequently asked questions
Whose film is La Bola Negra? Los Javis’ (Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi).
In which Oscar category? Best International Feature, for Spain.
When does it reach Netflix? December 2, 2026 in the US and Canada.
Which awards has it won? Best Director at Cannes (shared), and the Audience Awards at Toronto and San Sebastián.
