'La Bola Negra' Wins Audience Award at BFI London Film Festival

By Elena Vasquez

"La Bola Negra" has won the audience award at the 2026 BFI London Film Festival. The queer historical drama from Spanish filmmaking duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, known collectively as Los Javis, took the prize after its U.K. premiere on Oct. 8 played to sold-out audiences.

The recognition does not stop there. The film has also earned a nomination for best international independent film at the British Independent Film Awards ahead of its U.K. theatrical release, and Spain has selected it as the country's official submission for best international feature at the 2027 Academy Awards.

"We are absolutely delighted that 'La Bola Negra' has won the BFI London Film Festival Audience Award," Calvo and Ambrossi said in a joint statement. "It was a real pleasure to bring the film to London in October, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who came to see it and voted for us. To receive this recognition from audiences is particularly meaningful."

What is the film about?

"La Bola Negra" draws on two literary sources: the unfinished final work of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca and a play by Alberto Conejero. The story follows three men whose lives connect across three different periods — 1932, 1937 and 2017.

Spanning three generations, the film explores queer identity, forbidden love and the ways personal histories are preserved or erased over time.

Who appears in the cast?

The film stars Penélope Cruz, Glenn Close and Miguel Bernardeau. The ensemble also includes Lola Dueñas, Carlos González and Spanish musician Guitarricadelafuente, who makes his feature film acting debut.

Who are Los Javis?

Calvo and Ambrossi previously created the acclaimed Spanish television series "Veneno," which chronicled the life of transgender icon Cristina Ortiz Rodríguez, and the musical comedy series "Paquita Salas." Their latest feature continues the filmmakers' exploration of queer identity and overlooked histories on a larger, decades-spanning scale.

What does the audience award signal?

Previous recipients of the festival's audience award include Chloé Zhao's "Hamnet" in 2025, "Four Mothers" in 2024 and "Gassed Up" in 2023. That track record places "La Bola Negra" in the company of films that arrived at the festival with strong public support and left with momentum.

For a Spanish-language drama, three major endorsements — a festival audience prize, a BIFA nomination and a national Oscar submission — within a single season mark an unusually strong run before wide release.

In plain terms: audiences, British industry voters and Spain's awards committee have all backed the same film.

When can audiences see it?

Altitude will release "La Bola Negra" in U.K. and Irish cinemas on Nov. 6. The release date positions the film squarely inside awards season, with the BIFA nomination and the 2027 Oscars campaign to build on.