Why Pedro Almodóvar traded his signature lusty vulgarity for a dry, tearless melodrama
In short: For his 20th feature, the acclaimed Spanish director abandoned his usual flamboyant style to craft a restrained, austere study of maternal grief. Based on short stories by Alice Munro, Julieta explores the haunting silence between a mother and her estranged daughter, proving that even a subdued Almodóvar remains deeply compelling.
Julieta, released in 2016, marks a distinct shift in Pedro Almodóvar’s filmography. While he is celebrated for his vibrant, feminine dramas, he intentionally sought a more disciplined tone for this adaptation of Alice Munro’s stories, Chance, Silence, and Soon. He famously battled his actresses' physical urge to cry on set, aiming instead for a sense of dejection—the lingering, internal pain that persists long after a tragedy. By avoiding epic emotional outbursts, he created a film that is deliberately cold and austere, focusing on the quiet, suffocating nature of abandonment.
The narrative follows Julieta, who attempts to reconnect with her daughter, Antía, after years of estrangement. The film utilizes two actresses, Emma Suárez and Adriana Ugarte, to portray the protagonist at different life stages. Almodóvar rejected the use of heavy makeup to simulate aging, believing that the profound passage of time is written on the inside as much as the outside. This dual-casting choice served as an homage to Luis Buñuel’s 1977 film, That Obscure Object of Desire, emphasizing the psychological evolution of a woman shaped by loss, guilt, and the secrets she keeps from those she loves.
The production was marked by both creative ambition and external controversy. Almodóvar originally envisioned an English-language debut starring Meryl Streep, but eventually returned to his Spanish roots, filming in locations ranging from Madrid to the Pyrenees. Despite critical acclaim in France and generally positive reviews elsewhere, the film’s release in Spain was marred by the Panama Papers scandal, which led the director to cancel all press engagements. This, combined with the film's somber tone, resulted in a challenging box office performance in his home country, though it ultimately grossed over $22 million worldwide.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Julieta (film)
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