The Black Ball has become the third-highest-earning Spanish film of all time. By 1 November, it had earned €36.7 million and attracted 5.4 million cinema-goers. Only Eight Basque Surnames and The Impossible have earned more.
Directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the film stars Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close and takes inspiration from Federico García Lorca. It has also been shortlisted to represent Spain at the 2027 Oscars. This recognition could help it sell more cinema tickets.
The film attracted a younger audience than is usual for dramas. According to Rentrak, almost 40% of the viewers surveyed were under 35, while women represented more than 62%. Its success has also strengthened independent distributors, companies that work independently to bring films to cinemas in Spain.
Meanwhile, Spanish cinema ticket income rose by 40% during the first 41 weeks of 2026, reaching €489.4 million. That was 8% above the average for the same period before the pandemic. However, attendance has not fully recovered: from January to September, visitor numbers increased by 29% compared with 2025, but remained 13% below the 2017–2019 average.
