La Bola Negra Wins Palm Springs International Star Award

By Amara Osei

Netflix’s La Bola Negra will receive the International Star Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards on January 7, 2027, the festival announced on November 6, 2026. The presentation will take place at the Palm Springs Convention Center as the festival runs January 7-18.

Presentation details

Directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, plus actors Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau and Penélope Cruz, are expected to attend. The announcement does not confirm individual attendance or identify which other cast members may appear.

Kering will present the event. Entertainment Tonight and Soho House will sponsor it, and Cadillac will serve as the official vehicle. The release assigns no further roles to those companies.

Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said: “With La Bola Negra, Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi have created a beautiful and moving film that brings together stories across generations and cultures.”

He added: “Guitarricadelafuente brings such honesty and heart to his first film role, joined by Miguel Bernardeau as the film’s emotional anchor and Penélope Cruz in an unforgettable turn as Nené.” Chandi said the honor recognized the talent and hard work behind the production.

What does this change for La Bola Negra?

The announcement adds a dated presentation and a named award to the film’s record. It does not alter the rules for the Vanguard, Rising Star or directing honors, and it discloses no route from the International Star Award to another contest.

The release names no jury, ballot, voting system, eligibility criteria or explanation for the selection. It also does not say whether the honor includes a cash prize. Those omissions prevent an awards reader from judging the process, even though the recipient decision is final.

For filmmakers, the practical effect is a confirmed January 7 presentation and another festival citation. For rivals, no category or eligibility change follows from the announcement.

Previously announced honorees include The Invite, with Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, as a Vanguard Award recipient. Inde Navarette receives the Rising Star Award, and Martin McDonagh receives the Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award for Wild Horse Nine, according to a related November 5 announcement. Cruz therefore appears in two announced honorees.

The film’s awards record

La Bola Negra spans nearly a century of Spanish history and follows three generations of men whose lives connect through desire, pain and love. The announcement describes Calvo and Ambrossi as Cannes-winning directors, and both directed the film.

The cast comprises Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, Julio Torres, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close. Cruz plays Nené, according to Chandi.

The announcement says the film has won 16 Audience Awards at festivals worldwide. It also records top honors at the Toronto International Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival. At its Cannes world premiere, La Bola Negra received a 20-minute standing ovation, and Calvo and Ambrossi took the Best Director prize.

The release offers no festival-by-festival breakdown for the 16 Audience Awards and no voting method for those audience prizes. It also provides no vote count or selection detail for the Cannes result. Those claims cannot be audited from the announcement alone.

Last year’s International Star Award went to the cast of Sentimental Value: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning. The release says all four received Academy Award nominations for their performances. The unit of recognition changes with this year’s award: the 2026 recipient was a listed ensemble, while the 2027 recipient is the film itself.

La Bola Negra now has a confirmed Palm Springs presentation and another named honor, but its selection mechanics remain undocumented.