Pedro Almodóvar (b. 1949) made his exuberant entry onto the film scene in 1980, riding a post-Franco countercultural wave in Spain and establishing himself as one of the most distinctive voices in cinema. Almodóvar’s work contributed to the creation of a new Spanish cultural and social order, and through his production company, El Deseo (founded in 1986 with his brother, Agustín), he has made some of the most globally influential films of the past three decades. His genre-defying work mixes camp, melodrama, and humor to explore themes of transgression, desire, and identity. Almodóvar has constructed a colorful universe inhabited by offbeat characters, fluid sexual and gender identities, and complex and singular women. His all-inclusive, anything-goes spirit, which celebrates all beings, emotions, and reasons, appeals to a worldwide audience, allowing him to be at once a countercultural provocateur and an Oscar-winning writer/director. This exhibition coincides with the release of Almodóvar’s 20th feature, Julieta (2016), and includes all of his feature films.

Academy Award–winning filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar (b. 1949), one of the most daring and influential writer-directors of our time, transformed Spanish cinema with his 21 feature films to date. He directed the first in 1980, during La Movida Madrileña (The Madrid Scene), a countercultural movement that emerged as Spain transitioned from a repressive military dictatorship to democracy. Pushing the boundaries of representation, he centers dynamic female and LGBTQ+ characters and stories that express a fuller spectrum of the human condition. At times outlandish and provocative, Almodóvar’s films—marked by exquisite performances, lush production design, and moving scores—are also deeply humanistic and compassionate.