La Bola Negra (The Black Ball) Premieres to Extended Standing Ovation at Cannes

The new film from directors Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo debuted Thursday in the Grand Théâtre Lumière at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving a rapturous reception.

The premiere received a standing ovation. Multiple sources report the ovation's duration as either 16 minutes or 20 minutes.

Following the screening, U.S. distribution rights have attracted interest from several companies, including A24, Mubi, Neon, and Netflix. Sources indicate a deal is being negotiated, with one report citing a value in the $4–5 million range and including a multi-week theatrical commitment and plans for an awards campaign.

Film and Plot Details

The film is in competition at the Cannes Film Festival for the Palme d'Or and the Queer Palm. It marks the first feature film for the directors since Holy Camp! (2017) and their first feature in the Cannes official selection.

Plot: The story traces the lives of three men across three different years: 1932, 1937, and 2017. The narrative is linked by the final works of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca.

Title: The title refers to an object used to reject a young gay man from a club in Granada.

Source Material: The screenplay is based on an unfinished fragment of a novel by García Lorca and the play La piedra oscura by Alberto Conejero. The screenplay was co-written by Ambrossi, Calvo, and Conejero.

Cast: The cast includes Penélope Cruz (in an extended cameo), Glenn Close, Miguel Bernardeau, Guitarricadelafuente, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, and others.

Crew: The film was shot on 35mm by cinematographer Gris Jordana. The composer is Raül Refree.

Production and Distribution

Production: The film is a production by Movistar Plus+ and Suma Content Films, co-produced by Pedro Almodóvar's El Deseo and Le Pacte. It is the first film under Suma Content Films, the directors' new cinema division.

Filming: Filming took place over 12 weeks in Castile and León, Cantabria, Andalusia, Madrid, and Greece.

Distribution: Distribution in Spain is handled by Elastica, with a theatrical release scheduled for October 2. Le Pacte handles distribution in France. International sales are managed by Goodfellas, with negotiations for U.S. rights brokered by Goodfellas and CAA Media Finance.