Pedro Almodóvar: The Fabulist Behind the Camera

Pedro Almodóvar: A Visionary Storyteller

Pedro Almodóvar is often hailed as Spain’s preeminent living filmmaker, yet he perceives himself primarily as a writer — a self-described “fabulist.” His films are renowned for their elaborate narratives, which frequently take unexpected twists and turns. For instance, in “Talk to Her,” the poignant story revolves around two men forging a bond while caring for two women in comas. Similarly, “The Skin I Live In” presents a chilling tale of a plastic surgeon who transforms a captive man into a woman, against his will.

Throughout his illustrious career, Almodóvar has directed over 20 feature films, having either written or co-written nearly all of them. It is likely that he has spent more time at a writing desk than on a film set, meticulously crafting his intricate plots.

Unbeknownst to many, Almodóvar has also been penning a myriad of other works over the years — short stories, diary entries, and a few essays that defy categorization. These writings were stored in several enigmatic blue folders, diligently collected by his assistant, Lola García, during Almodóvar’s numerous relocations across Madrid. In 2022, motivated by the encouragement of Spanish literary editor Jaume Bonfill, Almodóvar revisited the treasure trove of his past writings.

“It was like uncovering a dimension of Pedro that I had never encountered before,” Bonfill remarked. The manuscripts they perused encompassed a wide range of material, including pieces Almodóvar had written as a teenager and other works he seemingly crafted decades later. This eclectic collection, titled The Last Dream, is set to be published in English on September 24 by HarperVia.

The nature of The Last Dream remains as enigmatic as the blue folders themselves. Is it a memoir? One entry appears to be a journal reflection penned a couple of years ago. Could it be fiction — or perhaps sketches of ideas that could evolve into fiction? Among the intriguing tales is a narrative about Count Dracula seeking solace in a monastery in Spain. Much like his cinematic creations, Almodóvar exhibits little inclination to confine his literary output to any rigid genre.