Sony Pictures Classics recently picked up Pedro Almodóvar’s latest film, “Bitter Christmas,” which was shot this past spring. A release date has now been set in Spain for March 20, 2026.
That date isn’t unusual if you’re wondering whether it might skip Cannes. Almodóvar almost always releases his films in Spain before a Cannes premiere. It’s odd, I know—but the fest tends to give him a free pass.
Sony Pictures Classics previously released Almodóvar’s last four films: “The Room Next Door” (2024), “Strange Way of Life” (2023), “Parallel Mothers” (2021), and “Pain and Glory” (2019).
“Bitter Christmas” is a Spanish-language drama about a work-obsessed woman who goes on holiday after her mother’s death, traveling to Lanzarote with a friend. On the island, their experiences mirror the story of a screenwriter and a film director, blurring the lines between life and art in Almodóvar’s signature style.
The director’s 24th feature stars Victoria Luengo (“The Room Next Door”) and Patrick Criado (“Riot Police”). Notably, “Bitter Christmas” will not be shot in English, marking a return to form for Almodóvar after his recent foray into U.S. projects, including the Venice-winning “The Room Next Door.”
Speaking of which—despite receiving generally positive, though not overwhelmingly enthusiastic, reviews—“The Room Next Door” surprised many by taking home the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival last year. Personally, I really liked the film; it was far from a disappointment—a melancholic meditation on death, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.
Almodóvar has had a storied filmmaking career since his 1980 debut, “Pepi, Luci, Bom.” His most notable works include “Talk to Her,” “Bad Education,” “The Skin I Live In,” “Pain and Glory,” “Broken Embraces,” and “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.”
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.