If Pain and Glory (2019) juxtaposed the physical suffering of an aging filmmaker with memories of his childhood, Bitter Christmas sees Almodovar delve even deeper into autobiographical territory. The story follows the creative journey of Raul, a filmmaker who draws on the lives of those close to him for his screenplays. How far can one go in drawing on another person’s private life for the sake of art? With this fundamental question at its core, Almodovar crafts another dazzling melodrama in which art and life mirror one another. The film’s two directors, Raul and Elsa, are Almodovar’s alter egos. Almodovar lays bare, more candidly than ever, his creative anxieties, self-centeredness, and fear of loneliness. He also fills the screen with artistic inspirations he has long cherished, from the music of Mexican singer Chavela Vargas to David Hockney’s sun-drenched paintings. But for Almodovar, the greatest inspiration has always been his actors. Barbara Lennie, Victoria Luengo of The Beloved and Aitana Sanchez-Gijon. The powerful performances of these three muses bring the film to its emotional peak, making Bitter Christmas yet another Almodovar masterpiece. (SEO Seunghee)

* This film is in Spanish with Korean subtitles only. English subtitles are not available.