La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, has won the audience award at the 2026 BFI London Film Festival. Variety reported the recognition ahead of Altitude's November 6 theatrical release in the UK and Ireland.
Audience recognition follows the UK premiere
The film, starring Penelope Cruz, Glenn Close and Miguel Bernardeau, premiered in the UK on October 8 and played to sold-out festival audiences. The directors, collectively known as Los Javis, thanked viewers who attended and voted, describing the audience response as particularly meaningful.
Previous recipients include Hamnet in 2025, Four Mothers in 2024 and Gassed Up in 2023.
La Bola Negra has also received a British Independent Film Awards nomination for best international independent film. Spain selected it as its submission for the international feature category at the 2027 Academy Awards.
Linked lives across three periods
Inspired by Federico Garcia Lorca's unfinished final work and a play by Alberto Conejero, the film follows three men in 1932, 1937 and 2017. Their connected stories explore queer identity, forbidden love and the preservation or erasure of personal histories.
The ensemble includes Lola Duenas, Carlos Gonzalez and musician Guitarricadelafuente in his feature acting debut.
Calvo and Ambrossi previously created Veneno, about Cristina Ortiz Rodriguez, and the comedy series Paquita Salas. Their new feature continues their interest in overlooked lives across a broader historical structure.
The November 6 UK and Irish release is the next stage after the London audience award and BIFA nomination.