The verdict
Audiences rate it 8.3 out of 10 on TMDB across 98 votes — a strong score. It is playing 74 times at 6 cinemas across 6 districts, from HK$80 to HK$150 depending on cinema and time. The cheapest seat is at GALA CINEMA (Langham Place) in Mong Kok, HK$80. Category IIB · 155 minutes.
What it is about
Drawing from Spanish poet Federico García Lorca’s unfinished work of the same name, La Bola Negra weaves a century-spanning tale of three men whose lives are intimately connected through desire, pain and inheritance, across three different eras - 1932, 1937, and 2017. It became only the second Spanish film to win the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival, following Pedro Almodóvar’s All About My Mother, and features special appearances by Oscar-winning actress Penélope Cruz and Honorary Oscar recipient Glenn Close.
Best Director, Cannes Film Festival
People’s Choice Award, Toronto International Film Festival
What to expect
Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo adapt Federico García Lorca’s unfinished play into a drama that moves between 1932, 1937 and 2017, following three men whose lives are threaded together by desire and what gets passed down. The movie won Best Director at Cannes—only the second Spanish feature to do so—and the People’s Choice Award at Toronto. Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close appear in small roles, but the weight of the 155-minute runtime sits with the central cast. The audience score sits at 8.7 from a small sample. Spanish audio with English and Traditional Chinese subtitles. In Hong Kong this week it is screening once, at a single cinema; the cheapest ticket is HK$130.
Trailer
Cast
-
Guitarricadelafuente
Sebastián -
Miguel Bernardeau
Rafael -
Carlos González
Alberto -
Milo Quifes
Carlos -
Lola Dueñas
Teresa -
Penélope Cruz
Nené Romero -
Glenn Close
Isabelle Durand -
Antonio de la Torre
Vicente (El padre de Carlos) -
María Morales
La madre -
Natalia de Molina
Valentina (La hermana) -
Lorenzo Zurzolo
Riccardo -
Albert Pla
Teniente Coronel -
Yenesi
Goyita -
Julio Torres
Juan Pablo -
Hugo Welzel
Enrique
Crew
- Director Javier Ambrossi
- Director Javier Calvo
- Novel Federico García Lorca
- Screenplay Alberto Conejero
- Screenplay Javier Ambrossi
- Screenplay Javier Calvo
- Original Music Composer Raül Refree
- Director of Photography Gris Jordana
- Editor Alberto Gutiérrez
- Producer Jorge Pezzi
- Executive Producer Paula Cipriota
- Producer Javier Ambrossi
- Producer Javier Calvo
Where to watch it
74 screenings at 6 cinemas over the next week, from HK$80.
| Cinema | District | Formats | Screenings | Next | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadway Cinematheque | Yau Ma Tei | — | 17 | Thu 11:15 | HK$90–130 |
| MOViE MOViE Pacific Place (Admiralty) | Admiralty | — | 14 | Thu 11:05 | HK$100–150 |
| PREMIERE ELEMENTS (Kowloon Station) | Tsim Sha Tsui | — | 14 | Thu 10:30 | HK$80–130 cheapest |
| PALACE ifc | Central | — | 13 | Thu 10:40 | HK$100–150 |
| MOViE MOViE Cityplaza (Taikoo Shing) | Taikoo Shing | — | 10 | Thu 10:05 | HK$80–120 |
| GALA CINEMA (Langham Place) | Mong Kok | — | 6 | Thu 11:05 | HK$80–120 |
Prices and times are as published by the cinemas and can change. Cinema names link through to the full timetable and booking.
Common questions
- How long is the movie?
- 155 minutes, or 2 hours 35 minutes.
- What language is it in and what subtitles are available?
- The original language is Spanish. English and Traditional Chinese subtitles are provided.
- Is it suitable for children?
- No age restriction is listed, but the themes and the 155-minute runtime make it a better fit for mature audiences.
- Is it playing in IMAX or other premium formats?
- No premium formats are listed. This week it is playing at one standard cinema in Hong Kong, with a single screening.
