Netflix Buys Diego Luna's Cannes Film 'Ashes' for Latin America, Spain and Portugal

Netflix has acquired distribution rights to Diego Luna's film 'Ashes' for Latin America, Spain and Portugal ahead of its world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Variety reported. The streaming platform will carry the title in those Spanish-speaking territories following its theatrical release, with streaming currently planned for 2027, according to the trade publication.

The Details

The film is adapted from Brenda Navarro's novel 'Ceniza en la boca' and follows Lucila, a young Mexican woman who moves with her younger brother to Madrid in an effort to reunite with their mother. According to a report from Caras, the project is a Mexico-Spain co-production that explores themes of migration, identity, racism and precarious work in Europe.

Variety reported that Netflix acquired the rights for Latin America, Spain and Portugal and intends to stream the film in those territories in 2027 after it completes a theatrical run. The deal was reported ahead of the film's scheduled world premiere at Cannes, where it will be introduced to the international market.

The film has been selected for the Special Screenings section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, which is currently underway and runs through May 23. Special Screenings are part of the festival's official selection but are presented outside the main competition categories. Earlier coverage from Quien identified the selection as Luna's return to Cannes as a director after a ten-year gap.

Anna Diaz and Adriana Paz are listed among the lead cast members, according to Variety's earlier Cannes sales report. The production companies behind the film include La Corriente del Golfo, Animal de Luz Films, Inicia Films and Perro Azul. Luxbox is handling world sales for the title as it seeks additional distribution partners beyond the Netflix-covered territories.

In coverage of the film's festival selection, Luna described the creative process behind the project as one defined by autonomy and personal vision. "This film is the result of a creative journey of independence and great freedom," he told Variety.

The migration narrative between Mexico and Spain has been highlighted by multiple outlets covering the film's path to the festival. The Netflix acquisition appears to have been first reported by Variety, with corroboration coming from prior Cannes coverage and secondary reports rather than an independent trade confirming the sale separately. No public statement from Netflix was retrieved directly.

Context

The 2026 Cannes Film Festival began on May 12 and continues through May 23. Special Screenings are designated as part of the festival's official lineup but screen outside the competitive categories, offering a platform for films that the festival wishes to highlight without placing them in the main competition. Luna's return to the festival as a director after ten years was noted in Quien's reporting on the film's selection.

Multiple outlets have drawn attention to the film's focus on migration between Mexico and Spain. Caras specifically identified migration, identity, racism and precarious work in Europe as thematic elements drawn from Navarro's novel. The story's examination of a young Mexican woman's experience relocating to Madrid has been cited as a central narrative concern in coverage of the project.

The production structure reflects cross-border collaboration, with Mexican and Spanish companies sharing producing duties. The involvement of Luxbox as world sales agent and Netflix as a territorial buyer for Latin America, Spain and Portugal illustrates the film's multi-platform distribution strategy. The arrangement allows for a theatrical window before the streaming release in the covered territories.

Navarro's novel 'Ceniza en la boca' provides the source material for the adaptation, with Luna translating the literary exploration of displacement and identity into a cinematic format. The choice of a female protagonist navigating the complexities of European labor markets and social structures has been noted in reports as a distinctive feature of the project.

What's Next

'Ashes' is scheduled to premiere in the Special Screenings section during the ongoing 2026 Cannes Film Festival, which runs through May 23. Following its festival presentation and subsequent theatrical release, Netflix is expected to stream the film in Latin America, Spain and Portugal in 2027. The world sales arrangement with Luxbox remains in place alongside the Netflix territorial acquisition, positioning the film for further distribution deals in territories not covered by the streaming agreement. Additional buyers may emerge as the festival progresses.