'La Bola Negra' Trailer Drops as Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close's Oscar Run Heats Up

The Oscar race just got another trailer. A brand-new look at La Bola Negra, the Spanish-language drama starring Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close, was released on September 28, offering the fullest preview yet of the film as it mounts a major awards campaign.

Directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the Cannes Best Director winners, the film is described as a bold tapestry spanning nearly a century of Spanish history, telling the story of three generations of men whose lives are intimately connected through desire, pain, and love. The new footage leans into the epic sweep of the story while spotlighting the central performances.

The film arrives with serious festival credentials. La Bola Negra clinched the People's Choice Award at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, a prize with a storied history of predicting awards-season success, and early reactions from critics have been warmly positive. Netflix is backing the film's push, and the timing of the trailer drop signals confidence as the campaign enters its crucial fall stretch.

Why it matters

Cruz and Close are two of the most decorated actors working today, and a pairing of this caliber in a sweeping, decades-spanning drama is exactly the kind of project that energizes voters. With the trailer now in the wild, La Bola Negra moves from festival darling to full-fledged awards contender. Expect this one to be in the conversation all season.