The film "The Black Ball", directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, was chosen as the opening film of the Rio Festival 2026. The Spanish drama will have its gala premiere for invited guests at Cine Odeon on October 1st.
The feature is considered a strong contender for the Oscar for best international film in 2027 and was one of the sensations of the Cannes Film Festival, held in May, where it received a 20-minute standing ovation. The film won the best director award at the French event and is produced by Netflix.
The work is inspired by the unfinished homonymous work of Federico García Lorca and the play "La piedra oscura" by Alberto Conejero. The plot follows the trajectories of three gay men in three significant periods of Spanish history: 1932, 1937, and 2017.
The three storylines connect in a deep and visceral way through themes such as desire and pain.
