While the rains poured last night in NYC, a few hundred slightly damp cinephiles gathered inside at the New York Times Center for the latest installment of Times Talks: A Conversation With Pedro Almodóvar. As fans of the Spanish auteur are probably already aware, Almodóvar’s latest film, “I’m So Excited” (out June 28th), is the filmmaker’s first foray back into madcap comedy in over two decades. The film centers on a group of misfits: newlyweds, partygoers, inebriated flight attendants and closeted pilots all stranded together on a flight for a soapy ride full of secrets, revelations and the occasional loosely choreographed Pointer Sisters dance number. As a surprise for the audience Almodóvar brought along three of his actors: Carlos Areces (who plays the riotous flight attendant Fajas), Blanca Suárez (“The Skin I Live In“) and Miguel Ángel Silvestre.
As usual, Almodóvar was armed with a translator so that he could fluidly
slip in and out of Spanish without losing his train of thought and discussed his return to comedy, why he doesn’t allow improv, the differences in the Spanish and American film industry (“I’m a great admirer of American film but perhaps, not exactly American
film being made now. I’m not criticizing, it’s just a fact.”), his desire to work with English-speaking actors and much more. The 90-minute discussion veered from the surrealism of “Matador” to the autobiographical details of “Bad Education,” and if you’re a fan of the director, you’ll definitely want to watch the entire thing by clicking the link here. (Sorry, no embed available.)
“I’m So Excited” opens in limited U.S. release on June 28th.