polski

Pain and Glory

Pedro Almodóvar
Dolor y gloria
Spain 2019 / 113’
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood Parasite

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.

Piotr Czerkawski

awards

Cannes IFF 2019 – Best Actor

Pedro Almodóvar

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).

Selected filmography

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

2016 Julieta

2019 Ból i blask / Dolor y gloria / Pain and Glory

2020 Ludzki głos / La Voz Humana / The Human Voice

Credits

director Pedro Almodóvar
screenplay Pedro Almodóvar
cinematography José Luis Alcaine
editing Teresa Font
music Alberto Iglesias
cast Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Leonardo Sbaraglia
producer Agustín Almodóvar, Esther García
production El Deseo
Polish distributor Gutek Film
language Spanish