Critics are raving about Pedro Almodóvar's triumphant return, Pain and Glory, in which cast-off director Salvador Mallo (played Antonio Banderas, who got a Palme d’Or in Cannes for the effort), who suffers from various physical and psychological problems, immerses himself in his own memories and decides to settle accounts with the past. Under the influence of these reflections and several chance encounters with important people, Salvador attempts to return to filmmaking. Pain and Glory, while being surprisingly intimate and subdued, also manages to contain everything audiences love about Almodóvar. The Spanish director once again impresses with his visual sensitivity, neatly combines subtlety with an eccentric sense of humor and gives vent to his love of cinema. The themes of self-reference rightfully made critics call out variations on Fellini’s immortal 8½, but Almodóvar's new film should also appeal to all those who fell in love with Paolo Sorrentino's The Great Beauty a few years back.
Born in 1949, Pedro Almodóvar is a director, screenwriter, producer, and occasionally an actor. He is one of the most important filmmakers of contemporary cinema. Early in his career, Almodóvar was one of the most important figures of the La Movida Madrileña movement, which grew out of the liberalization in Spain after the death of General Franco. As a director, he is famous for his special visual sensitivity, love of toying with kitsch and interest in sexuality. Almodóvar’s most important films include Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Best Script Award in Venice), Everything About My Mother (Palm d'or at Cannes for Best Director), Talk To Her (Oscar for Best Original Screenplay).
1988 Kobiety na skraju załamania nerwowego / Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios / Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
1993 Kika
1997 Drżące ciało / Carne trémula / Live Flesh
1999 Wszystko o mojej matce / Todo sobre mi madre / All About My Mother
2002 Porozmawiaj z nią / Hable con ella / Talk to Her
2004 Złe wychowanie / La mala educación / Bad Education
2006 Volver
2013 Przelotni kochankowie / Los amantes pasajeros / I'm So Excited