Spanish epic 'La Bola Negra' explores queer history across three eras
The film intertwines stories of three gay men in 1930s Spain, the Civil War, and modern Madrid, examining the links between fascism and homophobia while showcasing ambitious production values.
Spanish directors Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, known collectively as “Los Javis,” have expanded their repertoire with the two-hour-forty-minute epic La Bola Negra. The film follows three queer protagonists in different periods of Spanish history – a young trumpeter conscripted during the 1937 Civil War, a wealthy young man denied entry to a gay-coded social club in 1932, and a 2017 graduate student researching LGBTQ+ archives. Their narratives intersect through references to the unfinished play by Federico García Lorca that inspired the title.
The opening sequence depicts a northern Spanish village preparing to welcome Italian fascist troops, only to be bombed by Mussolini’s air force, thrusting the trumpeter Sebastián (Guitarricadelafuente) into a prison camp where he bonds with fellow inmate Rafael (Miguel Bernardeau). Their relationship introduces themes of repression, artistic expression, and emerging sexual identity.
In a stylized 1932 storyline, Carlos (Milo Quifes) navigates elite social circles that reject him for his suspected homosexuality, his experiences framed as a theatrical performance within Lorca’s imagined play. The third timeline follows Alberto (Carlos González), a queer graduate student in contemporary Madrid, who inherits sealed documents from his late grandfather and seeks to uncover hidden queer histories with the help of his boyfriend, Julio Torres.
The production features painterly cinematography by Gris Jordana and a symphonic score from Raül Refree. Guest appearances include Penélope Cruz in a brief cabaret number and a cameo by a Spanish-speaking Glenn Close as a Lorca scholar. Critics note that while the film’s ambition and visual craft are notable, its three-part structure sometimes results in uneven pacing, with certain scenes feeling overly extended and others underdeveloped.
Overall, La Bola Negra presents a maximalist portrait of a century-long queer legacy, blending historical trauma with personal discovery.