La Bola Negra has won the top prize at the Toronto Film Festival creating buzz that the film might be a major contender at the Oscars in 2027.
The film, whose title translates as The Black Ball, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where its co-directors received the Best Director Award.
Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi directed the film from a screenplay by Alberto Conejero. The queer epic is inspired by Federico García Lorca’s unfinished work of the same name, as well as Conejero’s acclaimed play La piedra oscura.
Speaking about the film earlier this month Javier Ambrossi said the works was “a tribute to the LGBTQ+ community” of the past that fought for human rights and an “epic gay drama for everyone.” The two directors were in a long-term relationship, but broke up during the production. While their romantic partnership ended, they continue to work together professionally.
Unlike other major film festivals which has a jury awarding the top prize, the Toronto People’s Choice is chosen by the public, and it’s proved to be an early indicator of how a film will be received by wider cinema audiences.
The film stars Spanish singer Guitarricadelafuente alongside Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close.
The story unfolds across three different periods, set in 1932, 1937 and 2017, exploring the interconnected lives of three gay men across generations.
Following its theatrical release, La Bola Negra will arrive on Netflix on 2 December.
