In Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film “The Odyssey,” viewers watch Trojan soldiers clash with massive adversaries, including a towering cyclops and giant combatants. As the awards season approaches, that blockbuster stands out as a dominant frontrunner across multiple categories. In Christopher Nolan’s take on “ The Odyssey,” there are several nail-biting scenes in which Trojan soldiers face off against much larger foes, including a towering cyclops and an army of behemoth soldiers.
Yet a formidable challenger has arrived. Following a celebrated run at major film festivals, “La Bola Negra” enters cinemas on Friday carrying aspirations to secure Netflix’s first-ever best picture prize. The streaming service intends to keep the Spanish feature in theaters for 47 days before its digital release, marking an unusually extended cinematic window designed to win over critics, moviegoers, and Academy voters. The streaming giant plans to run the Spanish film for 47 days in theaters prior to its digital platform debut — amounting to an unprecedently long cinematic runway for the company— in the hopes that the movie will charm.
Industry experts view the picture as the type of heartfelt drama that could transform the race into a contest resembling David versus Goliath. Kyle Buchanan, a former awards columnist for the New York Times who is launching a podcast about Hollywood, noted that this project represents the closest Netflix has ever come to winning best picture. While “Roma” triumphed previously, he observed that heart-driven narratives typically resonate most strongly with Oscar voters. According to “I think they feel that this is as close as they’ve gotten to best picture, kind of maybe ever,”, Kyle Buchanan, the former awards season columnist for the New York Times set to launch his own podcast this month about Hollywood. “Certainly, ‘Roma’ won a lot of Oscars [in 2019], but I think that was a ‘head movie,’ and ‘heart movies’ typically are what prevail at the Oscars.
By comparison, “The Odyssey” and “La Bola Negra” present a stark contrast. The former is a high-budget sword-and-sandal epic backed by hundreds of millions of dollars, grossing over $1.7 billion, and featuring prominent American stars under an Oscar-winning director. Conversely, the Spanish production cost under $17 million and focuses on queer romance and identity, created by local artists largely unknown internationally, though screen legends Glenn Close and Penélope Cruz appear in smaller capacities. On paper, “The Odyssey” and “La Bola Negra” could not be more different. The other is a subtitled work of queer yearning and romance made for under $17 million by two Spaniards (and a cast) who are all largely unknown outside their home country. (Glenn Close and Penélope Cruz pop up in smaller roles, with the latter almost stealing the movie in an unforgettable turn as an entertainer of the troops.).
Despite these differences, Hollywood observers believe the Spanish film possesses strong momentum. Clayton Davis, chief awards editor at Variety, predicted an Academy Award nomination, stating that the feature could rewrite Netflix’s awards history. Former Vanity Fair chief critic Richard Lawson similarly positioned the movie among the leading contenders.
Helmed by creative and former romantic partners Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, widely known as Los Javis, the narrative weaves together three distinct eras tied to the Spanish Civil War. The first segment follows a teenager named Carlos in 1932 who faces rejection from a social club due to rumors about his sexuality. The second depicts a fascist conscript named Sebastián in 1937 who grows close to a wounded Republican prisoner of war he is assigned to guard. The final chapter centers on Alberto, a disillusioned historian in 2017 who receives an unexpected inheritance from an unknown grandfather. In the first, a teenage Carlos (Milo Quifes) in 1932 fails to gain membership into a social club, whose members vote against him using a blackball ballot system amid rumors of his homosexuality.
The project serves as an ambitious exploration of historical sacrifice, identity, and emotional repression, drawing inspiration from the life of gay Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca. Lorca was murdered by fascist forces in 1936 and left behind an unfinished work titled “La Bola Negra.” The 1937 storyline also incorporates elements from Alberto Conejero’s 2013 play “La piedra oscura,” with Los Javis sharing screenwriting credits.
In May, Los Javis shared the best director honor alongside Polish filmmaker Paweł Pawlikowski at the Cannes Film Festival, where the feature debuted to a 20-minute standing ovation before Netflix acquired distribution rights. Buchanan recalled leaving the screening feeling that it was the definitive festival movie destined to dominate the cinematic conversation.
That momentum continued through subsequent appearances at festivals in San Sebastián and Toronto. The Toronto International Film Festival victory holds particular significance, given that 14 of the last 16 People’s Choice Award winners have earned best picture nominations, with four ultimately taking the top honor. Entered as Spain’s official submission for the international feature category, the movie is widely expected to win that race while also vying to become the first foreign-language winner since “Parasite” in 2020.
With ten slots available for best picture nominees, competition remains fierce alongside other contenders such as “Project Hail Mary,” “The Invite,” “Dune: Part Three,” and “Wild Horse Nine.” In the acting categories, Malkovich is viewed as an early favorite for best actor, competing against Andrew Scott, Robert Pattinson, and Matt Damon. Julianne Moore leads predictions for best actress for her role in “The Debut,” while Inde Navarrette eyes a nomination for “Obsession.” Meanwhile, “La Bola Negra” cast members Guitarricadelafuente and Cruz are positioned as strong contenders in the supporting fields, with Academy rule changes potentially allowing Cruz a second nomination for her work in “The Invite.”
