Pedro Almodóvar Writer/Director, Filmmaker

b. September 24, 1951

I don't make judgments about what's good or bad or what's real and isn't in culture.

Pedro Almodóvar has written and directed 16 movies, including "Mala Educación" and "Volver." His movies are known for their progressive themes including transgenderism, homosexuality and feminism and also for their racy sexuality, irony and wit.

Born into a poor family in Cazada de Calatrava, Spain, Almodóvar attended the school of the Salesian Fathers and the Franciscan friars. While attending the school, he lost faith and turned to avid movie watching. His experience affected the themes of his movies, including "Mala Educación," which is about a transgender male who was molested by a priest .

At age 17, Almodóvar moved to Madrid without money or contacts. After working low-paying jobs, he eventually secured a good position with Telefónica, the national Spanish phone company. His new job enabled him to buy a Super 8 video camera and shoot his first short film, "Dos Putas, o Historia de Amor que Termina en Boda" (1974).

In 1980, Almodóvar's first publicly acclaimed film, "Pepi, Luci, Bom y Otras Chicas del Montón," premiered during the birth of the Spanish democracy. The film challenged conventional moral values and breached sexual boundaries. Since then, Almodóvar has written and directed 15 films.

Almodóvar discovered star actors Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz. Cruz won an Oscar nomination for her performance in "Volver." Almodóvar and his films have won over 30 awards including The Best European Director of the Year (1999) and The Best European Film of the Year(1999) from the European Film Awards. Almodóvar continues to direct and write innovative, popular and influential films.

Bibliography
Almodovar, Pedro and Paula Willoquet-Maricondi. Pedro Almodovar: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi. 2004
Block, Melissa. “Interview with Director Pedro Almodovar.” NPR: All Things Considered. November 18, 2004
Smith, Paul Julian. Desire Unlimited: The Cinema of Pedro Almodovar. Verso. 2000
Selected Works
¡Atame! (1990)
Entre Tinieblas (1983)
Hable con Ella (2002)
Kika (1993)
La Flor de Mi Secreto (1995)
La Ley del Deseo (1987)
La Mala Educación (2004)