Filmmakers Los Javis discuss their breakup and film La bola negra on Cara al Show
Spanish directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi appeared on the television program Cara al Show to discuss their film La bola negra, their personal separation during filming, and their creative process.
Spanish filmmakers Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi appeared on the laSexta program Cara al Show hosted by Marc Giro for their sole Spanish television interview following the release of their film La bola negra. During the broadcast, the directors addressed their romantic separation, which occurred during production, as well as the film's themes, production challenges, and festival reception.
Reception and themes of La bola negra
The film draws on unfinished writings by Federico Garcia Lorca to follow three gay men across three time periods: 1932, 1937, and 2017. Calvo and Ambrossi noted that the production won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival, alongside audience awards at the San Sebastian and Toronto film festivals, and was chosen to represent Spain in the Best International Feature category at the Academy Awards. Ambrossi explained the title metaphor as the internalized shame and rejection experienced within the LGBTQ+ community.
La bola negra is a metaphor for the shame and rejection you suffer and that you take inside and make your own.
Breakup and production details
The directors spoke about separating as a couple during the filming process while continuing their professional partnership. They recounted adopting a stray dog named Pacharan on set, agreeing to share custody of the animal. Calvo also addressed historical debate regarding Lorca's sexual identity, stating that 1980s editions of Lorca's poetry altered titles such as Sonetos del amor oscuro to strip away homosexual connotations.
