Historic start in Spain for La Bola Negra, big Oscar favorite

Will Netflix win its first Oscar for best film with La Bola Negra? The drama “Los Javis”, awarded at Cannes, is already a huge popular success.

Released in cinemas on September 25 in Spain, The Black Bola breaks records. Inspired by the unfinished literary project The Black Ball by Federico García Lorca, the film tells the crossed destiny of three men in three eras (in 1932, 1937 and 2017). It attracted more than 600,000 spectators in theaters for its first weekend of operation. This is much better than the 400,000 entries of Ocho apellidos vascosthe biggest Spanish success in history.

This great start confirms the rating of the historical and queer drama directed by the duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, aka “Los Javis”, notably known for the series La Mesias. The Black Bola had already caused a sensation at the Cannes Film Festival, where he received the directing prize (tied with 1949). A few days ago, he also won the audience award at the Toronto Film Festival. A reward that is anything but trivial.

The People’s Choice Awards at TIFF are one of the first strong indicators in the race for the Oscars. Nomadland, Green Book, 12 Years a Slave, A King’s Speech or even Slumdog Millionaire received it before winning the Oscar for best film.

The Black Bola was chosen by Spain to compete for the Oscar for best international film, and it will certainly be in the list of five nominees which will be revealed on January 21. But it could land other nominations, with the support of Netflix which will release it in cinemas in the United States from October 16 with a 47-day theatrical exclusivity before its arrival on the platform on December 4. Never seen before!

In France, The Black Bola will be released in cinemas on December 16 under the Pact banner.

Netflix has just put online the American trailer for The Black Bola (see below), where we find the three main actors (Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau and Carlos González), but also the two international stars of the film, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close, who will probably play an essential role in the Oscar campaign prepared by the streaming giant.

After failing with Rome Or Emilia Perezwill Netflix win its first Oscar for best film with The Black Bola ? The race has only just begun, and the predictions will continue to change in the weeks and months to come.