Netflix Nears Deal on ‘La Bola Negra’ After Cannes Bidding War
The sale follows a 16-minute standing ovation and a bidding war that drew Neon, A24 and Mubi for U.S. rights.
- On Saturday, Netflix acquired U.S. rights to the Cannes Film Festival competition title "La Bola Negra" in a deal believed to be in the $5 million range.
- Filmmaking duo Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, known as Los Javis, premiered the film at Cannes on Thursday to a rapturous 16-minute standing ovation, highlighting the film's scope spanning 85 years of Spanish history.
- Featuring supporting roles from actors Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close, the Spanish-language drama traces interconnected lives across 1932, 1937, and 2017, braiding together stories of desire inspired by the works of Federico García Lorca.
- Goodfellas negotiated the deal for the filmmakers after competitive bidding involving Neon, A24, and Mubi, marking the festival's second major acquisition following the $17 million sale of "Club Kid" to A24.
- Netflix continues its strategy of backing major Spanish-language awards contenders, having distributed "Roma" and the 13-time Oscar nominee "Emilia Perez," positioning the service to pursue another high-profile awards campaign.
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Netflix has acquired for distribution in the United States the film The Black Ball, directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, which has premiered worldwide at the Cannes Festival and which has had a prolonged ovation, according to the media The Hollywood Reporter.The film, which features Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close in side roles, had unleashed a bid war to get its distribution in the United States, as the specialized magazine Variety advan…
'La Bola Negra' Cannes Bidding War Closes In on Netflix to Stage Awards Push
“La Bola Negra,” which held a rapturous world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday and triggered a bidding war between Neon, Mubi, A24 and others, zeroed in on Netflix as victor overnight Friday in a streaming and theatrical deal reportedly in the $5 million range. The Spanish-language gay epic comes from filmmaking duo Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo (known in their home country by the moniker “Los Javis”) and would be slated at th…
La Bola Negra sparked a fight between Netflix, A24 and Mubi for their distribution rights. The success of La Bola Negra at the Cannes Festival 2026 has not gone unnoticed for streaming companies and independent film distributors. Netflix, A24 and Mubi fight to keep the rights of La Bola NegraIt was revealed that Netflix, A24 and Mubi are contesting the rights of La Bola Negra, a film directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, duo known as “Lo…
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