Pedro Almodóvar
PEDRO ALMODÓVAR
Date of Birth: September 24, 1949
Birth Name: Pedro Almodóvar Caballero
Born in the small Spanish town of Calzeda de la Calatrava, Pedro Almodóvar knew he was destined to become a filmmaker. He loved telling stories, and when he went to a movie with his sisters, afterwards he would retell them the story, and they invariably liked his version better than the one they had seen. When he was 16, he decided to head to Madrid, where he worked for a phone company to make a living while writing stories in his spare time. He saved up to buy a Super 8 camera, and began making short films. In 1980, his first feature film, Pepi, Luci, Bom and the Other Girls (1980), was released to the public. Although critics reacted negatively, the film went on to become a cult hit.
Dark Habits (1984), a comedy about an order of outrageously odd nuns, was Almodóvar’s first film to capture positive international attention. He followed up that success with another comedy called What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1985). He began to win awards with his film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), capturing a Golden Osella for Best Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival, a People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, a European Film Award for Best Young Film and a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
In 1993, Almodóvar won a Golden Kikito for Best Director as well as a César award for Best Foreign Film for High Heels (1991). All About My Mother (1999), dedicated to Bette Davis, Romy Schneider and Gena Rowlands, premiered at the Cannes Festival, where it won not only a Best Director award for Almodóvar, but the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury. From there, the film went on to win many more awards around the world, including an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for Best Foreign Language Film.
His next film, Talk to Her (2002), also went on to win numerous awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and an Oscar for Best Writing (Original Screenplay). As well, Almodóvar received his first directing Oscar nomination.
In 2006, his film Volver, starring Pénelope Cruz, won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival and the FIPRESCI Film of the Year at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
Filmography:
Los abrazos rotos/Broken Embraces (2009)Volver (2006)
La Mala educación/Bad Education (2005)
Hable con ella/Talk to Her (2002)
Todo sobre mi madre (1999)/All About My Mother (1999)
Carne trémula/Live Flesh (1997)
La Flor de mi secreto/Flower of My Secret, The (1995)
Kika (1993)
Tacones lejanos/High Heels (1991)
¡Átame!/Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990) Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios/Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
Ley del deseo/Law of Desire (1987)
Matador/The Bullfighter (1986)
¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto?!!/What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1985)
Entre tinieblas/Dark Habits (1983)
Laberinto de pasiones/ Labyrinth of Passion (1982)
Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón/ Pepi, Luci, Bom and the Other Girls (1980)