Overview
- Spain's Film Academy announced on Sept. 16, 2026 that Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi's La Bola Negra is the country's official submission for the 99th Academy Awards international feature race.
- The film arrives with strong festival momentum, including a lengthy standing ovation at its Cannes world premiere, a shared Best Director prize there, an Audience Award in Sydney and an ovation at Toronto.
- Netflix is running the international awards campaign, has warned the filmmakers the effort “will be tough,” and plans a U.S. theatrical opening on Oct. 16 with a 47‑day window to increase awards eligibility and visibility.
- La Bola Negra adapts four pages from an unfinished work linked to Federico García Lorca into a three‑timeframe story about desire and gay history in Spain, and it features a high‑profile ensemble led by Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close.
- Next steps for the film are Spain's national selection moving into the Academy's December shortlist round, the January nominations, and continued exposure at San Sebastián and Spanish cinemas ahead of its Sept. 25 release.