Spain's Film Academy announced on Thursday that features by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, and duo Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo have been shortlisted to represent the nation at the 99th Academy Awards. The three productions, Los domingos, El ser querido, and La bola negra, were chosen to compete for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film.
Following a final voting process among the three preselected movies, the academy in Madrid will publicly reveal on September 16 which title will officially represent Spain. The 99th edition of the Academy Awards will take place on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Cannes recognition for La bola negra
Directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, La bola negra arrived on the shortlist following major international acclaim. Earlier this year, the directors earned the ex aequo award for best direction at the Cannes Film Festival, sharing the honour with director Pavel Pawlikowski for his film Fatherland. The joint award provided significant support from the festival for both the movie and its filmmaking team.
The film tells the story of three homosexual men living across three distinct historical periods, set in 1932, 1937, and 2017. Its narrative is partly based on La piedra oscura, a theatrical work by Spanish playwright Alberto Conejero, as well as four draft pages from an unfinished play of the same name by legendary writer Federico García Lorca.
The production features a prominent international ensemble cast. Star names include Academy Award winner Penélope Cruz, American actress Glenn Close, musician Guitarricadelafuente, and Spanish actor Miguel Bernardeau.
Rodrigo Sorogoyen returns with El ser querido
Filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen made the shortlist with El ser querido, which also premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The project marks Sorogoyen's return to feature films following his 2022 thriller As bestas, which won nine Goya Awards in Spain, including the award for best film.
In the new film, actor Javier Bardem plays a violent film director who returns home to Spain to shoot a new movie project. He seeks to cast his estranged daughter, played by Victoria Luengo, as the lead actress, despite having not seen her for 13 years and her having no established acting career.
Speaking to news agency EFE about the role, Bardem said that everyone carries a personal story and emotional baggage. He added that it is up to individuals to lighten the burdens they do not wish to pass on to their children.
Award winning drama Los domingos
Director Alauda Ruiz de Azúa earned her shortlisted spot with Los domingos, her second feature film following her acclaimed debut Cinco lobitos. The film sparked social debate by examining rarely explored perspectives in Spanish cinema, depicting a young woman in the 21st century who decides to enter a religious convent.
After receiving the Golden Shell award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival last year, Ruiz de Azúa explained that she loves cinema because it teaches viewers to look from a different perspective and engage with unfamiliar viewpoints. She added that attempting to understand a perspective does not mean sharing it.
The movie went on to achieve major success at Spain's national film honours. At the Goya Awards, Los domingos emerged as the most celebrated title of the night, winning best film, best director, and best original screenplay. Lead performer Patricia López Arnáiz won best actress, while Nagore Aramburu took home the award for best supporting actress.
Selection process and Spanish Oscar history
To select the three shortlisted titles, members of Spain's Film Academy voted on 33 eligible feature films that were released in commercial theatres between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026. Once the academy selects and submits its final chosen film on September 16, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood will evaluate global entries to determine the final nominated titles in the international category.
The Spanish academy has been responsible for designating the country's official Oscar submission since 1986. In 2001, the organization introduced a system of shortlisting three films by vote to increase exposure for domestic cinema before declaring a final representative.
Spain is seeking to break a long title drought, having not won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film since 2005. The nation's last victory came with Mar adentro, directed by Alejandro Amenábar and starring Javier Bardem.
