The Black Ball (film)
| The Black Ball | |
|---|---|
| Spanish | La bola negra |
| Directed by | |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Gris Jordana |
| Edited by | Alberto Gutiérrez |
| Music by | Raül Refree |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Elastica (Spain) |
Release date |
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| Countries |
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| Language | Spanish |
The Black Ball (Spanish: La bola negra)[1] is an upcoming drama film directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. Inspired by the unfinished work of the same name by Federico García Lorca and the play La piedra oscura by Alberto Conejero, its cast is led by Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, Penélope Cruz, and Glenn Close.
It is scheduled to be released theatrically in Spain on 2 October 2026 by Elastica Films.
Plot
The plot is set in 1932, 1937, and 2017, exploring the inter-connected lives of three gay men.[2][3]
Cast
- Guitarricadelafuente[4]
- Carlos González[4]
- Miguel Bernardeau[4]
- Milo Quifes[5]
- Lola Dueñas[4]
- Penélope Cruz[4]
- Glenn Close[6]
- Antonio de la Torre[7]
- Natalia de Molina[7]
- Albert Pla[7]
- Yenesi Suárez[8]
- Lorenzo Zurzolo[7]
- Daniel Ibáñez[7]
- Julio Torres[7]
- Mona Martínez[8]
- Nuria Mencía[8]
- Hugo Welzel[8]
- María Morales[8]
Production
The plot is inspired by the unfinished novel of Federico García Lorca La bola negra, who wrote four pages of the work before being murdered in 1936, with the title ('the Black Ball') alluding to the form of rejection to a young gay man when attempting to join a social club in Granada.[3] It is also inspired by the play La piedra oscura by Alberto Conejero.[3] Los Javis declined to confirm whether García Lorca would appear as a character in the film.[3] Main cast members Guitarricadelafuente (in his screen debut),[1] Carlos González, Miguel Bernardeau, Lola Dueñas, and Penélope Cruz were announced by Los Javis during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.[2] The Black Ball is a Movistar Plus+ and Suma Content Films co-production with El Deseo and Le Pacte,[9][4] and it had the participation of Atresmedia.[5] On 26 August 2025, local media reported the beginning of filming in the abandoned village of Castil de Carrias, halfway between Belorado and Briviesca.[10] Shooting also took place in Comillas, Cantabria (where a man working as an extra fell down some stairs on set and eventually died),[11][12] Granada (Iglesia de Santa Ana, Carmen de los Mártires, Albaicín), and Sigüenza.[13][14]
The reported breakup (in their long-standing domestic relationship) between Calvo and Ambrossi took place during the production of The Black Ball although, according to sources consulted by El País, the separation was not going to disrupt ongoing and future professional projects by Los Javis, including the shooting of the film.[15]
Release
Goodfellas took over international sales.[16] Elastica will handle theatrical distribution in Spain,[9] scheduled for 2 October 2026.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b Cabeza, Elisabet (15 September 2025). "12 hot new feature film projects from Spain in the works". ScreenDaily.
- ^ a b Mantilla, Daniel (19 May 2025). "Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau y Penélope Cruz protagonizarán 'La bola negra', de Javier Ambrossi y Javier Calvo". Kinótico.
- ^ a b c d Silvestre, Juan; Borrull, Mariona (19 May 2025). "Penélope Cruz y Guitarricadelafuente protagonizarán 'La bola negra', la nueva película de los Javis: "Le hemos escrito el papel a medida"". Fotogramas.
- ^ a b c d e f Campos, Sofía (20 May 2025). "Los Javis ya tienen cerrado el elenco de su próxima película e incluye una estrella de Hollywood". La Razón.
- ^ a b c "'La bola negra', la nueva película de Javier Calvo y Javier Ambrossi, se estrenará en cines el 2 de octubre de 2026". El Periódico de Catalunya. Prensa Ibérica. 16 December 2025.
- ^ Hopewell, John (23 October 2025). "Glenn Close Boards 'La Bola Negra,' From 'Veneno,' 'La Mesías' Creators Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
- ^ a b c d e f "Los Javis, Lorca y 'La bola negra': reparto completo y primeras imágenes de su nueva película". Cinemanía. 16 October 2025 – via 20minutos.es.
- ^ a b c d e Pozo, José Carlos (16 October 2025). "Los Javis incorporan nuevos fichajes a La bola negra, su próxima película para Movistar Plus+". HobbyConsolas.
- ^ a b "La bola negra". Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España. 4 September 2025.
- ^ "Los Javis repueblan Castil de Carrias". Diario de Burgos. 26 August 2025.
- ^ Pérez Z., Constanza (25 September 2025). "Un figurante muere en el rodaje de la nueva película de Los Javis: "Cayó por una escalera, sin llegar a filmar"". El País.
- ^ "Muere un figurante de 78 años durante el rodaje de una película de Los Javis". La Vanguardia. 25 September 2025.
- ^ Rico, Belén (2 October 2025). "Los Javis revolucionan Granada". Granada Hoy. Grupo Joly.
- ^ "El rodaje de 'La bola negra', dirigida por Javier Calvo y Javier Ambrossi, suma nuevos integrantes al reparto". Camera & Light Mag. 16 October 2025.
- ^ Palao, Alberto (11 November 2025). "Los Javis se separan en mitad de la producción de 'La Bola Negra': ¿qué va a pasar con sus carreras?". Los 40.
- ^ Rivera, Alfonso (20 May 2025). "Penélope Cruz among the stars of La bola negra by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi". Cineuropa.