Spanish Academy Stuns by Leaving Almodóvar Out of 2027 Oscar Race Again

Pedro Almodóvar’s new film Bitter Christmas was expected to be a strong contender for Spain’s Oscar entry, but the country’s film academy left it off the three-film shortlist.

The finalists are The Beloved, directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen; The Black Ball, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, known as Los Javis; and Sundays, directed by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa. Spain’s final selection for the international feature film category will be announced on Sept. 16.

The decision immediately drew attention, mainly because of the high-profile omission. Bitter Christmas premiered in competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and had been viewed as one of the leading possibilities. The omission also revived memories of Almodóvar’s earlier clash with the Spanish academy. His 2002 film Talk to Her was not selected as Spain’s Oscar candidate, although it later earned him the Academy Award for original screenplay.

The three shortlisted films offer different strengths. The Black Ball is an epic about gay men in war-torn Spain and has won its directors the Cannes award for best direction. Netflix is positioning the film as a major entry in the coming awards season. The Beloved features Javier Bardem in the leading role, giving it considerable star power. Sundays, a Basque family drama, was the dominant winner at Spain’s most recent Goya Awards and previously won the prestigious Golden Shell at the San Sebastián Film Festival. Its festival record and support from Spanish critics make it a serious contender, highlighting the range of contemporary Spanish cinema beyond Almodóvar.