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Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios
An explosion venue details of garish colour, wacky detail and surreal complications!
Variety

The Festival closing night will be explosive when the digital restoration of Pedro Almodóvar’s 1988 firecracker comedy lights up the screen. One of the biggest box-office hits in Spanish history, this sexy romp about obsessive love helped launch the careers of its director and renowned Spanish stars Carmen Maura and Antonio Banderas.

Carmen Maura is exceptional as Pepa, a woman cruelly abandoned by her lover Iván (Fernando Guillén), who is unaware that she is pregnant with his child. Overcome with desperation, and on the verge of suicide-by-cocktail, Pepa makes hysterical (and dangerous) attempts to track down her elusive lover. Along the way, she confronts the various women in Iván’s life, including his crazy wife, Lucía (Julieta Serrano), by whom he has fathered a now-grown-up son, Carlos (Banderas). At the same time, Pepa has to deal with a manic friend, terrified the police are looking for her because of her boyfriend's criminal activities.

This combustive mix of eccentric characters and scenarios result in a delightful and deliriously deranged comedy that celebrates female camaraderie in all its forms.

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WinnerBest Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Film, Goya Awards 1989

Please note the film will screen with English subtitles during the festival.

Director
Pedro Almodóvar
Cast
Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura, Rossy de Palma, María Barranco
1988 | 88 min | Spain | Comedy, Drama
Spanish with English subtitles
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