Almodóvar says he is 'more ambitious than ever' at 77

Pedro Almodóvar stated that he feels more ambitious about his work than at any point in his 40-year career. The 77-year-old filmmaker made the remark during a sit-down interview at a Manhattan hotel while promoting his latest feature, “Bitter Christmas.” He noted that his experience has made him more clear about his material and more demanding of his own time.

The film centers on a fading writer-director named Raul, portrayed by Leonardo Sbaraglia. Raul is writing a movie about a director named Elsa, played by Barbara Lennie. Elsa has a cult following from early work but currently directs commercials. She wants to make an impactful film and steals sensitive stories from her friends to do so. Raul borrows heavily from his own life to create Elsa, including her panic attacks and her willingness to alienate friends for the sake of a script.

Raul’s longtime assistant, Monica, played by Aitana Sanchez-Giton, recognizes her own experiences in the character of Elsa. The film mirrors Almodóvar’s own career, which has remained active and acclaimed. His previous works, “Pain and Glory” and “Parallel Mothers,” each earned two Oscar nominations. “Bitter Christmas” received a nomination for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Almodóvar acknowledged that he shares panic attacks with his character Raul. He admitted that when he is writing, the people in his life recede into the background. However, he stressed a key difference between himself and Raul. Almodóvar said he treats it as a moral responsibility not to lift his friends' lives into scripts in any recognizable way.

He explained that he mixes external inspiration with fiction and changes many characteristics so the resulting character is unrecognizable. "I never make a portrait of a person and put it in a movie. I conceal it in some way," he said. He noted that friends sometimes still see themselves on screen, often due to vanity. He recalled an instance where a stranger told him he was telling their story, even though the stranger did not know the person actually depicted.

The director said he is inspired by suffering rather than happiness. "If you're happy, there's no tension, and pain offers a more complex and deeper portrait of people and their stories," he said. He described himself as a happy person, especially when working. "I'm happier when I'm writing than when I'm on vacation," he added.

Almodóvar revealed that the film’s direction changed late in the writing process. He originally planned to focus on Elsa, but the role of Monica expanded. Near the end of the film, Monica confronts Raul about using her life to save his script. "That explosive encounter wasn't there from the beginning, and when it occurred to me, it completely changed the direction of the story," he said. He described the shift as enjoyable and liberating.

The confrontation allowed Almodóvar to question his own process through Monica’s character. "I was myself in front of Monica," he said. He wanted to avoid portraying a self-complacent director. "There's something liberating and healthy in self-criticism. I wanted to question my own process. I also found it quite funny and entertaining to do," he stated.

Almodóvar broke into the film industry 40 years ago with stylized films such as “Matador” and “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.” His work grew more realistic with Oscar-winning films like “All About My Mother” and “Talk to Her.” He said he has continued experimenting with style and form throughout his career. Despite his age, he said he could never think he was making a minor film. "I'm absolutely more ambitious than ever," he concluded.