Born On This Day- September 25th... Spanish Filmmaker Pedro Pedro Almodóvar

I am a fan of the films of Pedro Almodóvar, but I came late to his career in appreciating him, & picking up on how exciting & original his work as a director & screenwriter could be .My first film by him was Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown. I was won over by his use of the conventions of melodrama & using elements of pop culture, popular songs, irreverent humor, strong colors & over the top décor. Desire, passion, family & identity are among Almodóvar’s most prevalent themes. My favorite Almodóvar films, so far, are 2002’s Talk To Her & Bad Education in 2004. He is the very definition of auteur.

At the 2003 Oscars, he used his winner's speech to protest the war in Iraq, dedicating his Best Screenplay award for Talk to Her to “those who are raising their voices in favor of peace, human rights, democracy & international legality.”

Almodóvar remains committed to portraying & celebrating homosexual relationships in all their complexity. Defined by their sexual orientation yet not restrained by it, his gay characters are more passionate & complicated than the Hollywood stereotypes of hysterical sidekick, sensitive best friend, or hairdresser.

Almodóvar is a champion of the mistreated & marginalized in modern cinema. It’s a role he excels in, though he’s wary of being typecast because of his sexuality. “No one talks about the heterosexual President of the United States,” he told Spanish newspaper El Mundo. “So why should they call me a gay director?”  By pushing boundaries & ripping clichés, he’s brought clout to the gay cause & helped Spain become a more tolerant & liberal nation after decades of repression & fascism.