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Penélope Cruz (52) Greets Fans at the London Film Festival Screening of Oscar Contender ‘La Bola Negra’

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Few films this year have arrived with as much momentum as ‘La Bola Negra’. The Spanish drama from directing duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, known as Los Javis, had its world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where the pair won the Best Director Award.

Partially based on an unfinished play by Federico García Lorca, the film, whose title translates to ‘The Black Ball’, weaves together 3 timelines across 1932, 1937 and 2017. It follows 3 men whose lives are connected through desire, pain and inheritance, exploring memory and queer history in a story described as a genre-defying epic.

The film’s festival journey has now reached London. On October 8, Penélope Cruz attended the gala screening of ‘La Bola Negra’ at the Royal Festival Hall during the 70th BFI London Film Festival, taking time to meet fans and sign autographs along the way.

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In a video shared by Film Updates on X, Cruz can be seen stopping at the barriers to greet fans and sign memorabilia. Fans praised her for taking the time to connect with the crowd. The interaction offered a warm, personal touch to an evening packed with glamour.

It also underlined the excitement surrounding the film as it continues its awards-season run. For the occasion, the 52-year-old Oscar winner dipped into the archives. She wore a Ralph Lauren Collection Spring 2014 suit in black and white, featuring a contrasting checked shirt, tie, and cuffs.

Cruz finished the look with a black beret, a slight change from the checked version seen on the original runway. She has also returned to her darker hair color, a shift fashion watchers welcomed. The Chanel ambassador has been experimenting with a range of styles and labels throughout the press tour, including stops at TIFF and San Sebastián.

In ‘La Bola Negra’, Cruz plays Nené Romero, a cupletista who entertains the troops. One review singled out her showstopping scene as a highlight, describing how her character opens a young soldier’s mind to life beyond the war.

To prepare for the role, Cruz took inspiration from Olga Ramos and rehearsed with help from her daughter. The film’s team also drew on images of iconic performers such as Raquel Meller and La Fornarina for her character’s look.

The film stars singer Guitarricadelafuente in his acting debut, alongside Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes and Lola Dueñas. Glenn Close and Julio Torres also appear.

Both Guitarricadelafuente and Bernardeau joined Cruz and the directors on the London red carpet. The production reportedly boasted a budget of around €15 million. Critical reaction has been strong, if not unanimous. El País called it a moving and ambitious search for Spanish queer identity, while Variety’s Guy Lodge felt it too often slipped into overblown melodrama.

Still, the film has emerged as a major awards contender, with prediction markets suggesting it could compete with ‘The Odyssey’ for Best Picture. One London review even awarded it 5 stars, calling it a masterpiece.

‘La Bola Negra’ runs 2 hours and 35 minutes and is presented in Spanish with English subtitles. It is scheduled for release in UK and Irish cinemas on November 6. For now, Cruz’s London appearance has only added to the film’s growing momentum. With awards season heating up, ‘La Bola Negra’ looks set to remain a major part of the conversation.

Are you excited to watch Penélope Cruz in ‘La Bola Negra’?

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