He even snuck a copy of her book into a scene in The Skin I Live In. Pedro Almodóvar has wanted to adapt the Alice Munro stories that have now become his latest film, Julieta, for quite some time.
So, any quotes you see below are a combination of direct and translated – from the interpreter and myself. And when he spoke in Spanish, the interviewer would frantically scribble down what he was saying and then translate for the audience. Sometimes just a line here or there and sometimes a whole ‘lesson’ in colour, or his upbringing. And Spaniards talk very quickly! So, throughout the evening, Almodóvar would speak in both English and in Spanish. But his interviewer’s command of Spanish was even more impressive. So, to say I was excited to see the man in person at the BFI, London, is something of an understatement.īut before we begin, let me just explain how the evening worked… Almodóvar’s command of English is very impressive.
It began when I saw Penelope Cruz play an HIV-positive, pregnant nun in All About My Mother ( Todo Sobre Mi Madre) and thought How did he make that seem believable? and it has continued over the years, via films such as the hilarious – and equally bizarre – Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! ( Átame!) and the jaw-droppingly twisted The Skin I Live In ( La piel que habito). I studied Spanish at university and spent a year living in Spain, where I was introduced to the work of this particular cinematic legend. Posted by Amanda Keats on in All, comedy, drama, Film, Headline, Interviews, News, thriller | 0 commentsįor the better part of a decade, I have been a huge admirer of the work of Spanish director, Pedro Almodóvar.