La bola negra continues to reap successes, even outside of Spain. The film by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi has turned its journey through the international festival circuit into a succession of awards, from the award for Best Director in Cannes to the recognitions obtained in competitions on different continents. Its trajectory stands out, especially, for the number of awards granted by the public, which has distinguished the film in numerous cinematic events.
Among its most notable victories are the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the San Sebastián Festival. To these recognitions are added the audience award at the Busan International Film Festival and the award for best international film at the Sydney Festival. The production also won at the Hamptons International Film Festival, where it received the award for best narrative film.
The film's American tour has left other recognitions. The film has won the audience awards at Out on Film, in Atlanta; Reeling, in Chicago; and the Cine Latino Film Festival, in Minneapolis. The list continues with the audience award at the Santa Fe International Film Festival, the Leiden International Film Festival, and the award for best international film at the Middleburg Festival.
The film has also been recognized in Latin America with the Audience Award at the Bogotá International Film Festival. In Europe, the Marseille Spanish Film Festival, known as CineHorizontes, has awarded it two prizes: Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Carlos González. These awards expand the track record of a production that has found a favorable response in festivals with very different audiences and profiles.
The film's success is also beginning to translate into individual accolades for its cast. Guitarricadelafuente received the Discovery Award at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, which highlighted his cinematic debut in the role of Sebastián. In addition, he won the International Spotlight Award at the Middleburg Festival. The artist has also been nominated for the Breakthrough Performance award at the 2026 Gotham Awards, whose ceremony is scheduled for November 30. Meanwhile, the film's team will receive the Gotham Vanguard Tribute, a collective homage that recognizes the work of its creators and performers.
The success in international competitions also comes at an important moment for the film's career: The Black Ball has been selected to represent Spain in the Best International Feature Film category at the 2027 Academy Awards. As its international journey continues, Los Javis' film continues to add accolades to a trajectory that already includes some of the most relevant festivals in the cinematic landscape.
The big unknown is, considering its trajectory, how far The Black Ball can go at the Oscars. Los Javis' film aspires to represent Spain in the Best International Feature Film category, but its candidacy might not stop there: Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, acting, original song, and other technical categories are among the possibilities being considered. Will it settle for a nomination or will it manage to break through in several categories to become one of the big protagonists of the gala? The answer will begin to become clear on December 15, when the shortlist is announced, and will be even clearer on January 21, with the definitive nominations. Until then, the big question that resonates is not whether it will win its international candidacy, but: how many Oscars could The Black Ball take home?