Famous Movies by Pedro Almodovar

There are 15 movies by Pedro Almodovar that have hit the silver screen since 1980.  His movies tackle such difficult themes as sexual freedom, Spanish standards of morality and identity and cultural revolution. When you watch a Pedro Almodovar movie, you learn a great deal about Spanish culture and the internal struggles of Spaniards dealing with traditional cultural standards that clash with global influences. If you're interested in getting a taste of Pedro Almodovar's movies, check out the films on this list:

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
This film is Almodovar's first international success. It was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award and won five Goya Awards, a David di Donatello Award and two European Film Awards. The entire story is a soap opera on steroids, with each character experiencing high drama. It's a nonstop wild-goose chase as the characters search for one another, misunderstand one another and make crucial mistakes. At the end of the film, two of the most frantic characters finally connect, communicate and find serenity.

All About My Mother
This Pedro Almodovar movie is famous for the way it addresses AIDS, transvestitism and issues of faith. It won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three BAFTA Awards and six Goya Awards. The movie tells the story of Manuela, a single mother who works as a nurse supervising organ transplants. The film is praised for being both witty and heartfelt, entertaining yet emotionally compelling.

Talk To Her
This film explores the themes of miscommunication between people of the opposite sex, the challenges of secrets and infidelity and the hope that love can persist even after loss. It won an Academy Award, two BAFTA awards, a Golden Globe Award and a Goya Award. In the movie, a personal-care attendant falls in love with a ballerina in a coma who is in his care. Meanwhile, a journalist keeps vigil over a comatose female matador who was gored by a bull. The men deal with loss and unrequited love as they wait for a reunion with their loved ones.

Volver
The title of this film means "to return," and the film itself is about two women who were born in the Spanish countryside and leave for Madrid. They find themselves haunted by ghosts of their past and must return home to the countryside for resolution. The film deals with death, superstitions surrounding death and the complications of familial relationships. The film won an Academy Award, two Cannes Festival Awards and two BAFTA Awards.