Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, known as Los Javis, won the Best Director award for their film "La bola negra" at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival [1].
The victory marks a historic milestone for Spanish cinema, ending a decades-long drought for the country in this specific category. The award signals a resurgence of Spanish directorial influence on the global stage.
The jury, presided by director Park Chan-wook, selected the duo for their work on "La bola negra" [1]. This achievement makes them the first Spanish directors to receive the Best Director prize since Pedro Almodóvar won the award in 1999 [1].
During the festival, Spanish cinema had a strong presence with three films in competition [4]. While Los Javis secured the directing prize, the festival's top honor, the Palme d'Or, was awarded to Cristian Mungiu for the film "Fjord" [3].
The directors addressed the personal challenges they faced leading up to the win. "We have had a super complicated year for private reasons, but we are united," Ambrossi and Calvo said [2].
The win comes as part of a broader trend of international recognition for contemporary Spanish filmmakers. The duo's success in Cannes provides a significant boost to the visibility of Spanish production in the international market.
“The first Spanish directors to win this award since Pedro Almodóvar in 1999.”
This award breaks a 27-year streak of Spanish directors missing the Best Director prize at Cannes. By succeeding in a year where Spain had three films in competition, Los Javis have solidified the country's current standing as a powerhouse of artistic cinema, bridging the gap between the era of Almodóvar and the new wave of Spanish storytelling.
