Penelope Cruz says La Bola Negra warns against taking rights for granted

Channel 5 reported that Penelope Cruz has spoken about her new film La Bola Negra, describing it as a story about love and identity. The broadcast called the film an epic queer drama and said it is hotly tipped for the biggest awards of the year.

Cruz told Channel 5 that the film is about love but also about how attitudes have changed, and in some cases have not. She said that in 2026 people still cannot openly talk to their families about being gay, and that some of her friends have lost family members or parents without being able to share how they felt.

She said the film had touched people of all ages and that young audiences were going to cinemas and returning. Cruz described the response as an incredible movement. She also said the film's scenes of conflict and war echoed events happening now, and that an anti-war film can create dialogue and reduce polarisation.

Cruz said art is about empathy and understanding. She warned that dark times may be ahead, that rights already held are being questioned, and that people should not take freedom and rights for granted. She called for more stories that need to be told and represented.

Channel 5 reported that Cruz spoke alongside her co-stars Gautrico della Fontaine and Miguel Bernardeau. The interview also covered music, self-discovery and a cameo role that represented hope.