This 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival may be underwhelming for some. “Blame” the absence of big titles and blockbusters, but above all the main protagonists, acting and non-acting, of Hollywood, as well as the giants of production companies. There is a clear path for other actors and directors, more or less established, but also, fortunately, for other great historical directors. Such is the case with Pedro Almodóvar, a legend of Spanish and world cinema and winner of two Oscars during his unrepeatable career. A first-rate name that has certainly heightened the anticipation for the Festival and for yesterday’s day, especially that of Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
For on the Croisette, however studded with personalities and celebrities, it was indeed the day for Almodóvar, who presented his latest film Amarga Navidad. Where he tells the story of Raúl, a cult director in the midst of a creative crisis, who draws inspiration for his new film from a tragedy that befalls one of his closest collaborators. Gradually, he imagines Elsa, a filmmaker busy writing a screenplay, whose path begins to resemble his own. Raúl and Elsa, two sides of the same coin, invite viewers to ask themselves: how far can one go to tell a story? And the first answer came from Cannes itself, which saw the film for the first time last night.
Who, on closer inspection, also appreciated Pedro Almodóvar’s latest work, as they reserved a standing ovation of no less than six and a half minutes for the director at the end of the screening. We are not talking about numbers – referring to minutes – that are sensational, but during this edition no special honors have yet been reserved when it comes to standing ovations. More importantly, as Variety recalls, Almodóvar is obviously esteemed enough to have received numerous standing ovations in his many festival appearances. Such as the reception he received in Venice for The Room Next Door in 2024, where the audience applauded for a full 17 minutes. But the Cannes appreciation was palpable nonetheless, giving credit to the director and the leads present, namely Barbara Lennie and Leonardo Sbaraglia, as well as the entire cast.
