Riddled with intrigue, personal entanglements, and stories within stories, the latest from Oscar-winning maestro Pedro Almodóvar, follows a pair of filmmakers vying against the hazards of sustaining a meaningful artistic career—and the alliances that sometimes get compromised in the process. 

Elsa (Bárbara Lennie, EL SUPLENTE) gave up art-house filmmaking for gainful employment as an advertising director long ago, but the urge to craft something personal and creative comes creeping back: she begins writing a new screenplay, drawing upon the misfortunes of her friends for material. Parallel to Elsa’s endeavor, revered auteur Raúl (Leonardo Sbaraglia, who featured in Almodóvar’s thematically related drama PAIN AND GLORY) is also using the personal hardships of his inner circle to concoct character arcs for his new project. Both artists seek to rejuvenate their respective practices through autofictional devices that threaten to dismantle their most cherished relationships.

BITTER CHRISTMAS invites us into an entrancing house of mirrors as only Almodóvar can construct. Alter egos, seductions, and betrayals abound, as do memorable characters and performances—such as Elsa’s firefighter/exotic dancer boyfriend (Patrick Criado) and longtime Almodóvar alum Rossy de Palma in a buoyant cameo—and sequences that fuse the director’s characteristically sumptuous use of color with evocative locations. With noirish hues and telenovela twists, it’s a captivating exploration of grief, love, and the perils of unchecked artistic licence.

—Anita Lee, Toronto International Film Festival guide