Soundtrack goes digital

Movistar Plus announced that the original soundtrack of 'La bola negra', the film by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, is now out as a digital album. Lakeshore Records released the 24 tracks, which carry the music of Raül Refree. Guitarricadelafuente sings 'La nieve', María Terremoto features on 'Seguiriya de los valientes', and Penélope Cruz appears on 'Las tardes del Ritz' and 'Batallón de modistillas'. Movistar Plus said a version of 'Soldadito español' by Judeline will follow later, based on Refree's arrangement.

Box office and awards run

The film has drawn almost 4 million cinema spectators in Spain and has taken more than 25 million euros at the box office so far. It opened in Spanish cinemas through the distributor Elastica and will later be available in Spain only on Movistar Plus. Spain chose it as its candidate for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. According to SAPO, the film won the directing award at Cannes, shared with Paweł Pawlikowski for 'Fatherland', and took the audience prize at San Sebastián. La Razón reports that it also won a prize at the Toronto festival, and its Portuguese release is planned for 5 November.

New York premiere and US release

The film opened the 38th NewFest LGBTQ+ Film Festival in New York on 15 October, a festival running until 25 October with more than 140 titles. Glenn Close, who plays the hispanist Isabelle Durand, attended the screening with the directors and praised them, saying she expects them to become the next important filmmakers from Spain. The film opens first in Los Angeles and New York, then moves to about a hundred cinemas in other states. From 2 December it will stream on Netflix, which acquired its US distribution.

Directors on art and the far right

Javier Calvo told EFE at the New York presentation that art matters most when it is needed most.

“Art arrives when it is most needed.”

Calvo said the film deals with the fracture of Spain, the civil war and the Franco dictatorship. The directors reflected on its success in a part of Spanish society at the same time as far-right positions are growing. Calvo said the convergence was not chance, and he lamented that Francoist flags have been seen at other rallies alongside protests over housing and public education.

“I think La Bola Negra has arrived at exactly this moment, because it deals with these same themes.”

Plot, cast and origins

The film follows three timelines: Granada in 1932, the civil war in 1937 and Madrid in 2017. The New York Times reports that it draws on Federico García Lorca's unfinished play La bola negra and on Alberto Conejero's more recent play La piedra oscura. Milo Quifes, 25, makes his film debut as Carlos, while Guitarricadelafuente plays Sebastián, and Lola Dueñas, Miguel Bernardeau, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close appear in smaller roles. In an interview with Fotogramas, Quifes said Los Javis helped him out of a very difficult period, when he left home for work because he had no money for food.