La Bola Negra B1
La bola negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, tells the stories of three men from different generations of Spanish history. The film is inspired by an unfinished work by the famous Spanish writer Federico García Lorca. It is about love, identity, memory and how the past can affect people's lives.
The film also helps us understand life under Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975. Spain was a dictatorship, so people could not freely choose their government. People who openly disagreed with Franco could be arrested or punished.
The government controlled newspapers, books, films and music. This was called censorship. The government also watched some people, creating fear. Some people who opposed Franco left Spain and lived in exile.
Life was difficult for many families, especially after the Civil War. There was poverty and a shortage of food and other products. The government introduced rationing, which limited how much people could buy. Some people used the black market to find food and other basic products.
Women had fewer rights than they have today. They had more restrictions on work, money and personal decisions. Homosexuality was also strongly rejected by the government and society.
Catalonia was also affected. The Catalan government was closed, and the use of Catalan in public life was restricted. However, many families continued speaking Catalan at home. Writers, teachers and musicians helped preserve Catalan language and culture. Some people also secretly opposed the dictatorship.
Franco died in 1975, and Spain later became a democracy. However, memories of the dictatorship continued in many families. Some people talked about their experiences, while others remained silent.
This is an important idea in La bola negra: the past can continue to affect future generations.
About the Film
La bola negra was written and directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, with Alberto Conejero. It was produced by Suma Content Films and Movistar Plus+.
The film was shown at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation of about 20 minutes. Calvo and Ambrossi also won the Best Director award. The film received a very positive response from audiences in Spain.
The film shows that stories about Spain's past can still be important today.
2. VOCABULARY MATCH
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. dictatorship | A. a group of people watching a film or performance |
| 2. censorship | B. keeping something safe or alive |
| 3. exile | C. a system where people can only buy a limited amount of something |
| 4. shortage | D. people of a similar age who live at the same time |
| 5. rationing | E. living in another country because of political problems |
| 6. preserve | F. a government with very limited political freedom |
| 7. generation | G. a lack of something that people need |
| 8. audience | H. controlling what people can read, watch or hear |
3. SYNONYM MATCH
| Word | Synonym |
|---|---|
| 1. famous | A. keep going |
| 2. difficult | B. disagree with |
| 3. control | C. well-known |
| 4. affect | D. important |
| 5. protect | E. change or influence |
| 6. important | F. hard |
| 7. continue | G. look after |
| 8. oppose | H. manage |
4. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES
Word Bank
audience — censorship — dictatorship — exile — preserve — rationing — shortage — generations
Franco's Spain was a __________.
The government used __________ to control films and newspapers.
Some political opponents lived in __________.
There was a food __________ after the Civil War.
__________ limited how much food people could buy.
Families helped __________ Catalan culture.
The film tells the story of three different __________.
The __________ gave the film a long standing ovation.
5. DISCUSSION — LIFE UNDER FRANCO
Discuss with a partner.
What do you imagine life in Spain was like during Franco's time?
What would be the most difficult part of daily life?
Would you be afraid to talk about politics?
Would you want to leave Spain?
Which freedom is most important to you?
6. ROLE PLAY — ORDINARY PEOPLE
Work in pairs.
Student A — A Worker
You live in Spain in the 1950s. Your family has little money and food is sometimes difficult to find.
Student B — Your Friend
You are worried about the government and do not feel free to speak openly.
Talk about:
food
work
money
family
politics
your fears
your hopes
7. THE CATALAN TEACHER
You are a teacher in Barcelona in the 1950s.
You want to teach Catalan language and culture, but there are restrictions.
What would you do?
A. Follow the rules
B. Teach Catalan at home
C. Teach it secretly
D. Leave Spain
Discuss
Which option is safest?
Which option is bravest?
What would you choose?
8. THE NEWSPAPER
You are a newspaper editor.
A journalist writes an article criticizing the government.
The government tells you to remove it.
What would you do?
A. Remove the article
B. Change the article
C. Publish it secretly
D. Publish it anyway
Discuss
Which choice is safest?
Which choice is most dangerous?
What would you do?
9. THE FAMILY
Your grandfather lived during Franco's dictatorship.
He had some very difficult experiences, but your family does not like talking about them.
What would you do?
A. Ask questions
B. Research his life
C. Leave the subject alone
D. Write down your family's memories
Discuss
Why might people not want to talk about difficult experiences?
10. FOOD AND MONEY
Imagine that you are living in Spain after the Civil War.
Your family does not have much money and some food is difficult to find.
What would you do?
Use rationing
Buy food on the black market
Grow your own food
Exchange food with neighbours
Move to another city
Leave Spain
Discuss
If your family were hungry, would buying food illegally be acceptable?
Why or why not?
11. CATALONIA UNDER FRANCO
What could happen when a government restricts a language?
Discuss these areas:
| Area | What could happen? |
|---|---|
| Language | |
| Schools | |
| Music | |
| Books | |
| Family life | |
| Government |
Question
Which area is most important for protecting a culture?
12. MUSIC AND CULTURE
Imagine you are a Catalan musician during Franco's rule.
You want to keep Catalan culture alive.
What could you do?
A. Stop making music
B. Sing only in Spanish
C. Sing Catalan songs privately
D. Teach Catalan songs to young people
E. Perform secretly
Discuss
Can music help protect a culture?
13. THEN AND NOW
Compare Spain under Franco with Spain today.
| Under Franco | Today |
|---|---|
| No free national elections | |
| Strong censorship | |
| Political opposition was dangerous | |
| Catalan culture was restricted | |
| Women had fewer rights | |
| People could be punished for opposing the government |
Discuss
Which change is the most important?
14. CHOOSE THE MOST IMPORTANT FREEDOMS
Choose your three most important freedoms.
Freedom of speech
Free elections
Freedom to travel
Freedom to use your language
Freedom to write books
Freedom to make music
Equal rights for women
Freedom to disagree with the government
Discuss
Which three did you choose?
Why?
Could you live without one of them?
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