‘La Bola Negra’ Is a Gay Drama with Historical Sweep and Oscar Buzz
La Bola Negra has a classical core and a modern spirit. Directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, this sweeping epic glides back and forth between 1932, 1937 and 2017 to tell a story about gay men living in Spain in times of upheaval, suppression and reckoning.
It feels very grand and melodramatic, which works in its favor some of the time. And it’s not a surprise that there have been cries of best picture. That it cost only $15 million to make is all the more impressive. Netflix has even given it an unprecedented 47-day window in theaters (it’s available now) before its streaming run in…
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