UMVA has learned that a Spanish drama, La Bola Negra, has taken the Cannes Film Festival by storm with a historic 20-minute standing ovation, injecting much-needed excitement into the event.
The film, starring Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close, has been hailed as a masterpiece and an instant classic by critics, who believe it has become the front-runner for the prestigious Palme d’Or award.
Directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, La Bola Negra is a historical epic that explores the interconnected lives of three gay men across 85 years, set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War.
The film’s ambitious narrative spans three separate timelines – 1932, 1937, and 2017 – and features a predominantly male cast, including a striking scene where they appear shirtless on a beach.
La Bola Negra is an adaptation of an unfinished work by poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, alongside a play by Alberto Conejero, and has been praised for its rich detail and intimate storytelling.
The film’s demanding 155-minute runtime requires viewers to fully engage, but the payoff is worth it, with many gorgeously arranged shots and a talented cast, including Cruz and Close in supporting roles.
One of the film’s most impactful scenes opens with a rural village being destroyed by Italian bombs and gunfire, leaving a young survivor, Sebastián, to be conscripted into the army and tasked with guarding a wounded political prisoner.
The movie’s three narrative strands eventually intertwine, revealing a powerful exploration of homosexuality and Spanish history, with La Bola Negra’s cast delivering performances that keep the film engaging, even when the pacing meanders.
La Bola Negra premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21 and is set to be released in Spain on October 2, with UK and US release dates yet to be confirmed.
