La Bola Negra is a wonder of a movie about the importance of preserving and telling LGBTQ+ stories. It’s intimate, hopeful, powerful, and the kind of story you want to watch over and over again because it’s thought-provoking, grand, but also because it has the kind of cinematography that will make you weep. And in my heart’s heart, I have no doubt that this movie is going to endear itself to those within our community who are desperate to be seen.
At the helm of this movie are the directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, also known as Los Javis. They are previously known for the docu-drama Veneno and comedy series Paquita Salas. And with La Bola Negra they preserve but also expand on the works of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, who was assassinated for his identity and beliefs. And it’s done in a way that honors who he was but also expands on the dreams that he had for his work and how it would change people’s lives.
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Guitarricadelafuente, who plays our lead Sebastian, was magnetic, magical, and marvelous. And it’s almost hard to believe that this is his first acting role. Also, his character’s relationship with Raphael is subtle, sensual, and earth shattering. And there was a tenderness and care into allowing Sebastian to explore his new feelings for another man without shame or disgust. But also there was an exploration about the power of community and how that shapes queer people in a way that feels like a revelation when someone sees us for who we are and still says: you’re mine.
Sebastian was balanced out in La Bola Negra by two other characters that we follow, mainly Carlos and Alberto played by Milos Quifes and Carlos González respectively. They’re both experiencing queerness during different time periods. But their stories really tap into this theme of the importance of preserving LGBTQ+ stories. Because those who have power are the ones who dictate the stories preserved through time. And when it comes to queer people, our stories are usually snuffed out. So there’s a joy that borders on exhilaration for me as a viewer to watch these two men explore their queerness but also fight for it just like Sebastian did.
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As for Los Javis, the directors held this movie in their gentle hands and brought it to life with care, love, and hope for the future. It felt like Calvo and Ambrossi tilled the past, found something forgotten or just not as explored as it should be, and placed it in a place of honor told through the art of film. And because of that we got La Bola Negra, a way to honor those that lived their truth and loved who they loved, but were erased by those who wanted to make our love seem like an abomination.
At the heart of La Bola Negra is a message of doing what you love but also being who you are. Because our time on this planet is finite. So instead of trying to prove yourself over and over again to people who just want to control you or put you in a little box, or keep you from doing what you love, you should embrace the now. Embrace joy. Embrace love. And that message is woven through every time period, scene, and character in La Bola Negra.
La Bola Negra screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
