Nine minutes of applause greeted Pedro Almodóvar’s "Bitter Christmas" after its world premiere Tuesday night at Cannes, where the Spanish director returned to the main competition.
The film—Almodóvar’s 11th Cannes title and eighth competition entry—follows director Raúl as he writes about cult filmmaker Elsa and confronts the ethics of turning real lives into fiction.
Almodóvar, attending with cast members including Leonardo Sbaraglia and Bárbara Lennie, told the Grand Théâtre Lumière audience he had "never found an audience that is so warm as here."
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired U.S. rights to the film, which arrives as another self-reflective work from the director, whom Deadline’s review called "a fascinating peek into the master’s own head."
The strong reception could boost its awards prospects in a festival where Almodóvar has won directing and screenplay prizes but has never taken the Palme d’Or.
After decades of near misses, will Almodóvar's self-critical new film finally win him the elusive Palme d'Or?
The film portrays its director as an 'emotional vampire.' Is this a long-awaited confession from the master of Spanish melodrama?
Why is Almodóvar's celebrated new film, despite a huge ovation, already being called a 'minor' work by some critics?