Spain's Oscar Shortlist Leaves Out Almodóvar — Three Films Vie for 2027 Submission
Pedro Almodóvar will not represent Spain at the 2027 Oscars. The Spanish Film Academy's three-film shortlist, unveiled on 3 September 2026, names no film by the country's most internationally celebrated director — and the omission is the story everyone is talking about.
The three finalists are "The Beloved" by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, "La bola negra" (The Black Ball) by the duo known as Los Javis — Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi — and "Sundays" by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa. Spain's Academy of Film will announce its final pick on 16 September. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Almodóvar's "Bitter Christmas" was the odd film out. It screened in competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival alongside two of the shortlisted titles — "The Black Ball" and "The Beloved" were both Cannes breakouts — yet failed to survive the Academy's internal vote. Three Spanish films entered the Cannes competition; only two advanced.
Each finalist carries a different credential. "The Black Ball" is a Netflix-backed epic about gay men in war-torn Spain, and its directors, Los Javis, won the best director award at Cannes. "The Beloved" stars Javier Bardem. "Sundays," a Basque family drama, took the Golden Shell — the top prize — at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and then dominated the Goya awards, Spain's national film honours.
For context, Spain's process last year followed the same rhythm. The Academy shortlisted three films on 3 September 2025, chose Oliver Laxe's "Sirât" as its submission on 17 September, and watched it earn Oscar nominations for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound — the first time a Spanish entry landed in five Oscar shortlists. (Academia de Cine, Academia de Cine)
The wider Oscar calendar now takes shape. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will narrow all international submissions to a 15-film shortlist on 15 December 2026, announce five nominees on 21 January 2027, and hold the 99th Academy Awards ceremony on 14 March 2027. Each country may submit only one film for the international feature category.
What makes this shortlist striking is who is not on it. Almodóvar has been Spain's cinematic ambassador for decades, and "Bitter Christmas" arrived at Cannes with the profile of a natural contender. The Academy's membership instead leaned toward festival momentum and homegrown acclaim — two Cannes prizes, a San Sebastián Golden Shell, and a Goya sweep.
The 13-day wait for the final decision begins now.
