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The autobiographical narrative, where Banderas
plays Almodovar’s present-day tormented alter ego, and Cruz his
mother at the time of his youth, wraps up a trilogy which
includes the 1987 "Law of Desire" and 2004 "Bad Education".
The 69-year-old screenwriter and director, whose films often use
nonlinear plots and feature gay and transsexual characters,
returns to the big screen circuit after a three-year hiatus on
March 22, when his 21st movie will be released in Spain.
European and U.S. release dates are yet to be confirmed,
Almodovar's El Deseo production company told Reuters.
"It was a relief, but it is a dangerous thing to play with your
own life and turn it into fiction" Almodovar said of making the
film while standing on the red carpet before the screening.
Banderas, 58, and Cruz, 44, were previously billed together in
Almodovar's 2013 eccentric comedy "I'm So Excited", which
received mixed or average reviews.
The elegiac "Pain and Glory" focuses on various stages in the
life of a film director, the relationship with his mother,
romances, and the emotional distress of not knowing whether he
will be able to keep directing films.
"All the actresses I meet in Hollywood ask me what it's like to
collaborate with Pedro and what they have to do to work with
him, and I always tell them the same thing: learn Spanish," said
Cruz, who in 2006 became the first Spanish actress to be
nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actress category for her role
in Almodovar's 2006 drama "Volver".
Three years later she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for
her performance in the 2008 film Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
In the new film, Cruz also sings a Lola Flores piece along with
Spanish Grammy award winner Rosalia, known for mixing
traditional flamenco with urban music.
"I can tell you that it has been very emotional, it's been
almost 40 years that we've been doing movies together," said
Banderas, for whom "Pain and Glory" is his 8th collaboration
with the filmmaker.
Almodovar, who headed the Cannes Film Festival jury in 2017, has
won two Oscars - with "All About My Mother" awarded the best
foreign language film in 2000, and for the best original
screenplay with "Talk to Her" in 2003.
(Editing by Andrei Khalip; editing by Diane Craft)
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