'La Bola Negra' Sparks Multi-Studio Bidding War After Cannes Debut
Variety • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo’s film "La Bola Negra" ("The Black Ball") received a 16-minute standing ovation at Cannes and has triggered a multi-studio bidding war for U.S. distribution rights, with A24, Mubi, and Netflix among the contenders.
- The film, a queer epic spanning 85 years of Spanish history inspired by Federico García Lorca, is competing for both the Palme d’Or and the Queer Palm at Cannes and marks the duo's competition debut.
- "The Black Ball" follows the interconnected lives of three gay men across 1932, 1937, and 2017, exploring themes of desire, loss, and generational legacy, featuring a supporting cast including Glenn Close and Penélope Cruz.
- The screenplay was co-written by Ambrossi, Calvo, and Alberto Conejero, and the film is the first produced under Suma Content Films, with additional production by Movistar Plus+, El Deseo, and Le Pacte.
- The movie is set for theatrical release in Spain on October 2 via Elastica Films, with international sales managed by Goodfellas.