Bitter Christmas

With noirish hues and telenovela twists, the latest from Oscar-winning maestro Pedro Almodóvar follows a pair of self-centred film directors exploring grief, love, and the perils of unchecked artistic license.

It’s 2004, and the wells of inspiration are drying up for movie director Elsa. Worse still, despite her firefighter/stripper boyfriend’s coddling, she’s as burdened by migraines as she is with her friends’ troubles. But all of this is merely a story; a creation of filmmaker Raúl, Elsa is the protagonist of the film that he’s struggling to complete in 2026, much to the dismay of his supportive partner, Santi. That spark suddenly returns when Raúl’s assistant Mónica takes leave to help a friend who has just lost a child, a tragedy that becomes a plot point in his own script. Perhaps this new inspiration will give Raúl insights into his own life and relationships; but how far is too far when an artist continually cribs from the experiences of others?

Woven with intrigue, personal entanglements, and stories within stories, Bitter Christmas invites us into an entrancing house of mirrors as only Almodóvar can construct.

Spanish with English subtitles

Festivals

Cannes Film Festival 2026 | In Competition
Toronto International Film Festival 2026 | Official Selection
Melbourne International Film Festival 2026 | Official Selection

Screening at Luna Leederville and Luna on SX from November 26.