Programme Notes

Friday 6th September 7.30pm

Pain & Glory (Dolor y Gloria) (15) + Poppy & Josie

Dir: Pedro Almodóvar Poppy & Josie Cast: , Penélope Cruz, Asier Etxeandia, Dir: Fox Fisher 2018 UK 5 mins Almodóvar’s latest film features Antonio Banderas as Salvador, a once-celebrated 11-year-old trans girl Poppy chats with 70-year- film director in physical and artistic old trans woman Josie and they compare their decline. A planned 30th anniversary experiences of being trans. screening for one of his best-loved . My Genderation is an ongoing film project works, Sabor (‘Taste’), reunites Sal with focusing on trans lives and trans experiences. Alberto, the film’s capricious leading All their content is created by trans people, about man, to whom he has not spoken since trans people, for a much wider audience. they fell out on set. This encounter leads Currently run by Fox Fisher and Owl Fisher. to unexpected consequences in the pre- sent day, while also prompting him to reminisce on the highs and lows of his life – a childhood with his mother in ‘60s Valencia, his early discovery of cinema, his first love affair in ‘80s and its accompanying heartbreak. In recovering his past, Salvador reluctantly confronts his own mortality through what has ultimately been his only salvation: writing from the heart. This semi-autobiographical work is a triumphant return to form for Almodóvar, with his long-time collaborator Banderas deservedly winning the Best Actor prize at “Antonio Banderas gives the performance of his Cannes this year. career as a fictional stand-in for the Spanish Deeply personal and painfully honest, Pain director in a drama that blurs the line between art & Glory is a film for the ages which reflects and life … For all the darkness in Salvador’s life, on desire, tradition, creativity, addiction and Pain and Glory surrounds him with the blocks of companionship – it’s truly a joy to behold. It highly choreographed colour that have become is no arduous journey into a broken psyche: Almodóvar’s trademark, accentuating his sense of peppered throughout are a number of laugh- greying isolation. When estranged lovers meet, out-loud moments, usually involving Alberto Almodóvar stages their embrace as a (a consistently scene-stealing turn by Asier kaleidoscopic tango of red and blue intertwined, Etxeandia), who is the wickedly mischievous signifying internal fervour amid a scene of foil to Sal’s wounded bird. dramatic restraint. Never before has Banderas seemed so vulnerable, his eyes darting back and All of Almodóvar’s films feature striking forth in fear and wonder, shining through a mask visuals, larger-than-life characters, women of deadpan melancholia and regret … Banderas at the end of their tether, gender and here seems to shrink and grow simultaneously, sexuality issues and a celebration of LGBT perfectly capturing both the strengths and lives, and it is a joy for Saffron Screen to weaknesses of his character. It all adds up to a show his latest film, only two weeks after its richly satisfying work from a film-maker whose release, to launch our Rainbow Film love of cinema, in all its pain and glory, shines Festival. through every frame.” Mark Kermode, The Observer