Almodóvar Turns Autofiction Inward in Bitter Christmas
Vulture’s Cannes 2026 assessment of Bitter Christmas presents a late‑career self‑portrait in which Elsa, a director now in advertising, mirrors Almodóvar himself as Raúl writes her story. The film’s final act lands a blunt meditation on inspiration versus vampirism, aided by lush visuals, but its unfocused first three quarters make it a challenging watch before the frank self‑critique becomes rewarding and reveals that Almodóvar still has something to say about art.
