This month the Friends of the Cinema Society is showing a range of works by Pedro Almodovar
HOLLYWOOD movies may give even workaholics an excuse to sit around for two or three hours but Spielberg isn’t the only mastermind on this planet. While many of us don’t even give European films a chance, for Cyprus’ art film set there is a firm favourite in the form of Pedro Almodovar, the multi-award winning Spanish director in whose films Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz were first seen. Acknowledging his popularity on the island, the Friends of the Cinema Society is presenting a festival dedicated to this man giving us the opportunity to see his art.
Born in the 1950s, Pedro Almodovar had fascination for cinema from a young age. “I was born in a very bad time for Spain, but a good one indeed for the film industry. I’m talking about the fifties. I was still a child when I first stepped into a hometown theatre,” said the Spanish director. He moved to Madrid when he was sixteen and after landing a job and saving enough money he bought his first Super 8 camera. In the late 70s he began writing comic strips and in 1972 he started shooting with his super 8, taking short films from Madrid to Barcelona. He said: “ The moment I grabbed my Super 8 camera, my first intention was that of the fable writer or storyteller.”
From there on, everything fell into place with Almodovar’s work becoming more and more known worldwide, gaining praise from, among others, The New York Times. “An absolutely marvellous black comedy. Simply a small master piece,” was what they wrote about Que He Hecho Yo Para Merecer Esto? (What have I done to Deserve this?), one of the many films which will be shown at the festival. The film depicts Gloria as an unhappy housewife, who is forced to work as a cleaner. Married to Antonio, a taxi driver, there is no communication between the couple, especially when a German ex-girlfriend becomes involved. However, this is not the main reason why Antonio is the bad guy because it seems as though he had something to do with fake love letters that Hitler supposedly wrote. Adding insult to injury, one of their sons is gay and the other is a heroin addict. Have in mind that a murder also takes place.
In 1987, a particular film marked Almodovar’s career. Mujeres Al Borde De Un Ataque De Nervios (Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown) was a stepping stone for him, as this white comedy went worldwide, deserving the public’s and critics’ acclaim. Gaining up to fifty national and international awards and an Oscar nomination, the film broke box office records in Spain and elsewhere. The name of the film is enough for anyone to understand why.
Throughout the years, Almodovar continued making movies with success after success. Films such as Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother), Matador, Hable Con Ella (Talk To Her), La Mala Educacion (Bad Education), Atame! (Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down) and La Ley Del Deseo (The Law of Desire) are among the few that made Pedro Almodovar a well-known and lovable director.
His films were also full of controversy and scandal, which are especially obvious in Atame, marked for its US release with an X. Rated by the MPAA (Motion Pictures Association of America), Pedro and other victims of America’s Puritanism filed a legal battle. The result was a new rating called NC17, “applicable to those films of explicit nature previously regarded unfairly as pornographic.”
Overall, Almodovar’s work shows one in particular interesting factor and that is women. He seems to be more fascinated and inspired by women and was even dubbed as a good director for actresses. Either way, he has been adored by the pubic and admired by many in the business.
What’s showing when
4th April: Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown
5th April: All about my mother
7th April: Matador
8th April: Talk To her
10th April: Bad Education
11th April: What have I done to deserve this?
12th April: Matador
14th April: Tie me up, Tie me down
15th April: Bad Education
17th April: All about my mother
18th April: Tie me Up, Tie Me Down
19th April: The Law of Desire
21st April: What have I done to deserve this?
22nd April: The Law of Desire
24th April: Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown
All films start at 9pm at Cine Studio. Friends Of Cinema Society: 22-420491
