CANNES – Three queer men connected across time. Three storylines intertwined. All while the Spanish Civil War is omnipresent, almost haunting the proceedings. This is the crux of Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo’s ambitious new drama “La Bola Negra (The Black Ball),” a world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. And ambitious might be an understatement. A big one.
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Ambrossi and Calvo, better known as creative partners the Javis, have simultaneously adapted Alberto Conejero’s stage play “La Piedra Oscura,” set in 1937, alongside lauded early 20th-century Spanish poet and writer Federico García Lorca’s unfinished play, “La Bola Negra,” set in 1932, along with an original, contemporary 2017 tale. Instead of breaking these storylines into limited chapters, the duo takes on the challenge of weaving them into a single continuous narrative. Their ability to pull this off without any sign of cinematic strain and still land a gut punch at the end is truly a miracle in and of itself.
The film begins with Sebastian (pop star Guitarricadelafuente, quite good). A trumpet player, he lives in a small village near Granada and, along with a local band and residents, waits to welcome Italian soldiers to Spain. Soldiers who will join the fight for Spain alongside the fascist Nationalists during this bloody Civil War. In a fantastically staged set piece, either the Italians or the adversarial Republicans (it’s never quite clear) surprise attack the crowd by air, effectively massacring everyone gathered at the intended celebration. Sebastian somehow escapes after falling into a river and swimming downstream. When he encounters nationalist soldiers, he soon finds himself conscripted into the army. Now torn away from his sheltered, countryside existence.
Five years earlier, Carlos (Milo Quifes, striking) is feeling the pressure. To keep his family’s business in good standing, he needs to be granted membership into the local Granada casino. A social club of the city’s powerbrokers that can destroy or elevate a company’s fortunes on a whim. The voting committee determines its selections by either white or black balls, and Carlos receives too many of the latter. Why has he been denied entry? Because of rumors regarding his sexuality spreading throughout the city.
Decades later, Alberto (Carlos González, fantastic casting) has just returned to Madrid from Athens. A failed playwright turned historian, he’s been on the hunt for recordings of songs documenting little-known queer existence during the first half of the previous century. Much to his surprise, he’s informed he’s received an inheritance from a grandfather he never met. The will insists he pick up what’s been left to him in person, so, frustratingly, he makes the trek to the countryside of Cantabria.
Over time, all three men’s relationships with their sexuality and ability to communicate with those around them come to the forefront. Despite “radical” friends who support him, Carlos may hide himself away in the closet to convince the committee to approve his membership. Sebastian falls for an injured Republican soldier, Rafael (Miguel Bernardeau, decidedly charismatic), which puts both their lives in danger. And Alberto, whose mother Teresa (Lola Dueñas, superb) is still traumatized by his grandfather abandoning her, will unearth secrets about his family he could never have imagined. Oh, and Alberto may be blind to a boyfriend, Juan Pablo (a fantastic, uncredited Julio Torres), who loves him unconditionally despite his inherent self-loathing.
As this epic tale unfurls, Sebastian’s innocent eyes discover queer culture through the stories of Mené (Penelope Cruz, having an utter blast), a Madrid diva brought in to entertain the troops with two musical numbers and multiple wigs, no less. Alberto, on the other hand, tracks down Isabelle (Glenn Close, speaking half her role in Spanish), a renowned expert in gay literature who verifies the contents of his shocking “inheritance,” the missing pages of the unfinished “La Bola Negra” play. Along with Torres participation, these small roles could distract, but the Javis’ canvas is so vast that they only add to the tapestry.
The Javis have a lot to say not only about Spanish history, but also about how emotions can endure and live on through something tangible. Whether it’s a painting, a recorded piece of music, or even a long-lost play, queer or not. They use the omnipresent theme of snow and the poetic spirits often present in Lorca’s work to tie these threads together. A complex puzzle where almost everything settles into place.
Working with their longtime collaborators behind the scenes, including a gorgeous score from composer Raül Refree, shockingly grand sets by production designer Roger Bellés, and stellar editing by Alberto Gutiérrez, the Javis have crafted something truly unique. But also – and this may sound unintentionally disparaging – something accessible.
“La Bola” often feels as though it has one foot in auteur filmmaking and the other in the studio, commercialized filmmaking door. In the film’s early stages, it’s at times jarring (especially in the context of a festival such as Cannes). And yet, when the final masterful, symphonic flurry, climax hits, the contrast is so affecting you may need to catch your breath. In the end, it works, and it does so masterfully. [A-]
Look for complete coverage from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on The Playlist.
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Editor-at-Large Gregory Ellwood is one of the entertainment industry's most respected journalists and critics. Based in Los Angeles, he's the only current awards expert who previously worked on Oscar campaigns at a major movie studio. Over the years, he has written for the LA Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Vox, among others. He also co-founded the entertainment news site HitFix, which spawned a legion of influential Emmy and WGA Award-winning alumni.
