Netflix seems to be preparing for the next awards season like no other. The streaming service is about to land two of the most talked about film festival titles. It’s about The black ball (2026) in Gentle Monster (2026). Both films are now being mentioned as potential Oscar candidates and caused a lot of admiration and enthusiasm in Cannes.
Not yet for Europe
It is striking that this does not yet involve complete global takeovers. Bee Gentle Monster Netflix is currently negotiating rights for North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. European rights therefore do not yet appear to be fully vested in the streamer. Also at The black ball For the time being, it is mainly about a deal for the American market. Several trade magazines report that Netflix is close to a multi-million takeover of the American rights after a fierce bidding war with parties such as A24, Neon and Mubi. In Spain, for example, the film will still receive a cinema release via Elastica Films.
The black ball
The black ball was one of the big favorites in Cannes. The story follows three gay men, each from a different year, 1932, 1937 and 2017, whose lives become emotionally intertwined. The film is inspired by an unfinished work by the famous Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca. The cast includes Penélope Cruz, Glenn Close, Lorenzo Zurzolo, Julio Torres, Antonio de la Torre and Natalia de Molina. The film received a sixteen-minute standing ovation during its premiere at the film festival, after which a bidding war almost immediately broke out between distributors.
6.4
Spain 1932, 1937, 2017. Three men. Three eras.
Gentle Monster
Gentle Monster is about a pianist who discovers that her husband leads a hidden double life online as a creator of pedophile pornography. The leading role is played by French actress Léa Seydoux, who, according to critics, has a chance of an Oscar nomination for best actress. The film is directed by the Austrian Marie Kreutzer, known for, among other things Corsage (2022).
5.5
Lucy and Philip are happy. They have just moved with their son to a country house near Munich. One morning their lives turn upside down when the police show up at their door to arrest Philip and confiscate his computers.
Release in the Netherlands
Although rights for the European market have not yet been negotiated, it would be strange if Netflix mounted a potential Oscar campaign around Seydoux without eventually offering the film more widely internationally. Bee The black ball it seems that the European rights will be sold in fragments and yet there are several reasons why a Dutch Netflix release ultimately seems likely. Netflix currently appears to have few major award titles for the upcoming season, which is why The black ball in Gentle Monster could become crucial prestige projects, something the streaming service usually wants to reap the benefits of worldwide.
Beeld: Still ‘Gentle Monster’ via TMDb
