La bola negra film explores intergenerational trauma

The film ‘La bola negra’, the second feature film by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, explores the concept of intergenerational trauma. The movie is an adaptation of an unfinished work by Federico García Lorca and the play ‘La piedra oscura’ by Alberto Conejero.

Through characters spanning several decades, the narrative examines how repression, desire, and bitterness link different eras. The film raises questions regarding whether trauma can be inherited, both emotionally and biologically. This theme is supported by scientific discussions on epigenetics, which studies how extreme adversity can leave biological marks—such as changes in DNA methylation—on the descendants of survivors, including those of the Holocaust.

The film distinguishes between intergenerational effects, seen in children of those exposed to trauma, and transgenerational effects, which manifest in descendants who did not experience the original trauma directly.