La bola negra

Directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi in person

Known as “Los Javis,” Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi have written, produced, and directed together some of the most sarcastic and provocative works in recent Spanish comedy, including Holy Camp (2017) and the hilarious TV series Paquita Salas (2016–2019). With La bola negra, they ambitiously deliver a cinematic epic inspired by Federico García Lorca’s homonymous unfinished work and Alberto Conejero’s play on the tragic destiny of Republican resistance fighter, actor, and footballer Rafael Rodríguez Rapún, a former lover of Lorca. With special appearances by Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close, and starring singer-songwriter Guitarricadelafuente, La bola negra audaciously looks at the past and present of Spanish history, the traumatic period of the Spanish Civil War, and its consequences for the sentimental lives of families and secret lovers shaped by tales of resistance and oppression.

2026. Spain/France. Directed Javier Calvo, Javier Ambrossi. Screenplay by Calvo, Ambrossi, Alberto Conejero. With Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González. In Spanish; English subtitles. 160 min.

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