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Almodovar Films Bring Entertainment to US

Something in cinemas is about to give the US film lovers a lot of entertainment. Eight films directed by the famous Pedro Almodovar are to return to the cinemas a little before his new movie, Volver. Classic Almodovar films such as All About My Mother and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown will be shown in 50 cities in the US in an attempt to raise interest in the director`s entertainment work. Some of his films have not been seen in the US since their original release.

The new film Volver won several prizes at the Cannes film festival this year, including a collective best actress award for the female cast, led by Penelope Cruz. Almodovar, 54, one of Spain`s most celebrated film directors, won an Oscar award twice: with All About My Mother as best foreign film in 2000, and Talk To Her for best original screenplay in 2002.Almodovar was born in 1951 in the Spanish town of Calzada de Calatrava and moved to Madrid at the age of 16, working in a flea market while he saved to buy a Super 8 camera. In the 1970s he made several short films, mainly sex entertainment comedies, as well as writing the fictional diary of a porn star and singing in a rock group.

He is often described as a "women`s director" because many of his films have revolved around strong, sympathetic female characters. The films that are re-released in the US include Matador, Law of Desire, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and All About My Mother.