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Pedro Almodóvar got the Oscar for the Best Foreign Film for Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother) at the 72nd Academy Award Ceremony, celebrated on Sunday 26th of March in Beverly Hills, LA, USA.
How Almodóvar prepared for the ceremony, what his accepting speech was like and how he celebrated his triumph is detailed in the following report, which tells his every move before and after the event.
Almodóvar and Cecilia Roth talk to the media about Todo Sobre Mi Madre.
Before Almodóvar was nominated to the Best Foreign Film Academy Award for Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother) he was in a state of nervousness talking to the press about the possibilities of being nominated and what it would be like to win.
"I knew All About My Mother" was a powerful film, but nothing more than that. If you tell anybody what the film is about they will tell you it is foolish. My challenge was to show something real and emotional. As if it had happened to a neighbour". When asked if it was his best film, the director kept quiet for a moment and answered: "the truth is that I don't know if it is the best. With this film I still need a bit of distance".
"I have to be ready for everything, even to not being candidate for anything" commented Pedro before the Academy nominations. In the offices of his production company El Deseo they were all making they were busy, not thinking about it, making tapas in a mixture of professionalism and nerves. Pedro wanted to watch television completely alone. Five minutes after the nominations he was back with his friends, between phone calls and sincere screams of happiness and pleasure.
"I have seen people sinking when they have not achieved what, according to everybody, was definite, I did not want to repeat those people's errors". he was happy thinking in everything he will now have to go through before the 26th of March.
His brother and producer Agustín commented the convenience of signing a US PR agency for the last part of the race. People call him from the New York Times at the same time that people come into his office to congratulate him. He has something to eat and checks the complete list of candidates to the Oscars on internet. "I love that Richard Farnsworth, the main character of David Lynch's The Straight Story is there. He is great" comments Almodóvar. "Americans value acting, but they value the ratings even more. All About My Mother has made 5,1 million dollars upto yesterday, according to Variety's website. David Lynch's film, for example, has not even made a million".
"The biggest thing of all is that nothing can equal the concept of show they have. To think that Dustin Hoffman is on a stage at 5 am because that is the best time for the East Coast and European news programmes, that is something I am still not used to. The Oscars are, above all, an exposure platform you cannot compare with anything".
Pedro Almodóvar chats with a Spanish Radio Station in Madrid before leaving for LA.
Pedro arrives in LA
Almodóvar shares his Golden Globe with his actors and good friends Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz.
When Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother) was nominated to the Best Foreign Film Academy Award the media turned to Pedro Almodóvar and he became the focus of attention of the Spanish film industry.
In February 99 Almodóvar gave many interviews to Spanish tv and radio stations and his talks were full of happiness and cautiousness. "Please, control your euphoria" he would ask the journalists. Almodóvar admitted being nervous and very tired after 4 months of promotion in the States. "In Spain the people have given me the Oscar already and it is a great pressure for me. Whether I get it or not we'll have to wait until the 26th of March".
Accompanied by his brother and Producer Agustín, Pedro met Spanish and foreign journalists and said: "I can only say now that we have been finally nominated but it also means that any of the five films can win". The director admitted that he has not seen the Nepalese film Caravan, the Swedish Under the Sun, the Welsh Solomon and Gaenor ("I think only the director and actors have seen this one" stated Almodóvar) or the French film The Promised Land. "The year of Cyrano de Bergerac nobody doubted that it would win and it didn't in the end. So we never know. Maybe my film is the favourite, the one with the most chances, but that's it".
"To vote not only the Academy members have to watch the five films, but they have to prove it and then they can vote. That is why there is a very absurd situation right now. We are even organising showings of the other nominated films so the greatest number of Academy members will watch them and vote. I will not vote, I have not seen any of the other films yet".
Almodóvar practised his English on February 15th with Spanish and foreign journalists in Madrid. He told them that his speech at the Golden Globe Awards in January was his "greatest success" in the States. "I was frantic, not myself. And when I feel like that I jump without safety net. For the Oscars I admit I will prepare myself a bit more, but not a lot. I don't know what face I could show Jack Nicholson or what grace I could tell him. I feel ridiculous rehearsing that in front of a mirror". The director confessed that when on March 26th he hears the title of his film being mentioned he will not doubt to "sell his soul to the devil for a second" to take the Oscar home. "I always want to win". About who will be accompanying him to the ceremony he said: "Everybody who wants to go".
Almodóvar went back to Los Angeles in March to attend a retrospective of his film-making career organised by the Californian Film Institute and get ready for the Academy Awards. "Don't worry if they don't give it to me. You don't know how typical it would be for me not to get it".
Pedro wrote a diary whilst in LA.
Pedro and Agustín Almodóvar in LA.
Pedro hugs Winona Ryder.
Pedro has the time of his life in LA. He is promoting his film fiercely before the Oscars and has time to walk around LA with his brother Agustín and be recognised on the streets.
Almodóvar is known in the US since his success with Mujeres Al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (Women on the Verge of Nervous Breakdown) in 1989, but now with All About My Mother he has become a star. "It is hard to get connected with this town and in this town" assures the Manchego director while he cruises along one of the huge highways of Los Angeles towards Venice Beach in a black Pontiac, which looks like it just came out of The Sopranos. With a wild schedule in which he only has free time to watch as much cinema as he can, he reduces his movements to a small part of the city. "Every time we come here is to work, and even though the city has very interesting tourist attractions -I saw Frank Floyd's house and I loved it- we have never had any time to see anything. Our life here is boring and we are on the verge of depression all the time. Outside doesn't exist. It is a huge residential area. I feel weird, but I think everybody feels weird in this city".
He has had to get used to it. Only in the second half of January he collected six awards: two in New York (from the NYC critics and the National Board of Reviews), three in Los Angeles (from the written press critics, television critics and the Golden Globe to the best foreign film, which confirmed it as the favourite for the Oscar) and another one in Palm Springs, whose film festival paid homage to Almodóvar.
In September-October 99 he had traveled to USA to present the film, and in August he had gone through California to talk about what could be his next project, The Paper Boy. In December 99 he was invited by the Director's Guild of America and in January 2000 for the awards marathon. Even though this has been going on for years, now more than ever he has become in a usual character of the social and cultural world of the United States. More so that in Brett Easton Ellis's new novel Glamourama where he analyses the world of fame in the 90s, amongst the thousands of characters who appear mentioned in the book there are only two Spaniards: Antonio Banderas and Pedro Almodóvar.
Tom Bernard, Co-President of Sony Classics, the US distributor of All About My Mother comments: "He is earning votes" while Almodóvar chats with Curtis Hanson, director of LA Confidential. He has become very used to the stage and awards ceremonies. At the LA Film Critics Association Awards at the Wyndham Bel Age Hotel Almodóvar turned up accompanied by actress and friend Penélope Cruz, his brother and producer Agustín and the El Deseo representative who always travels with him, Michel.
They know the ritual by heart: first pose for the photographers at the entrance, and then wall in for the journalists and tv cameras. Questions about the film, about his actresses, about his mother, about whether he will stay to live in Hollywood, smiles, handshakes, chats with stars who are now friends and acquaintances become tiring and necessary rituals for the promotion of the film.
All About My Mother is screening in more than 100 cinemas in the US. The film has a great monetary back up. Adverts about it flood the press, sometimes even two full pages. It has a great presence in cinemas, it's beating records of awards pre-Oscars and it has the backup of the press and the critics.
"Since we are picking up awards, our job these days consists of going to parties. And I am aware that I know loads of people here, more than I was aware of. I become an annoying person kissing everybody, chatting with everybody. I tell everybody I love their film and everybody tells me the same, and sometimes they mean it!" says Almodóvar. "The idea we have of a party in Madrid is so different to the idea they have here. here it is part of the job, even if you get very happy. If I am talking to Tom Robbins and Susan Sarandon, well, I love it, but parties are not a place for having fun, which is the European concept, here they are another place of work".
Almodóvar, with his American representatives, Melodie Kronenbourg and some of the Sony representatives, knows how to move in Hollywood. Not only amongst the stars (besides, Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith always invite him to parties) he has appointments with numerous other stars. The night of the Golden Globe Awards he had dinner at Warren Beatty and Annete Benning's house, the day before he was invited to a private party organised by the creators of South Park. Another day he had lunch Adrian Brody, star from The Thin Red Line. He knows the executives of the biggest studios, from Fox to Miramax and Warner, many of whom flirt with him and offer him scripts.
He knows what is going on in the industry, he is aware of the new projects and not only because he receives a daily copy of Variety, Hollywood Reporter and Los Angeles Times, he gets a lot of information in the arena and moves gracefully along red carpets.
"I am a great at fan of his work" said Curtis Hanson "I am really happy that there are great films like his around, and of course, I would like it if more were made!". Academy Award winner Hillary Swank told Almodóvar in one of the ceremonies: "Your English is better by the minute. Don't go back home, stay here, please!". And this is just the beginning.
Almodóvar with the actresses from Todo Sobre Mi Madre and the Spanish consul in LA.
Almodóvar (centre) celebrates with the Spanish community in LA.
The nervousness previous to the Academy Awards mixed with the public's but I'm sure the Oscar doesn't deserve a film as good as this one" affirmed Mary, of 74 years of age, who watched the film with her husband in a cinema of S
The great hype of All About My Mother gets Almodóvar all nervous " What has Todo Sobre Mi Madre done to deserve this?"
Pedro Almodóvar, after going through make-up and hairdressing, arrived at the Shrine Auditorium in a limousine dressed in an Armani suit with a great chance of winning Spain's third Oscar. Antonio Banderas and Penélope Cruz, who would present the award at the 72nd ceremony could not hide that their favourite was their friend Pedro. The biggest problem of Banderas and Cruz was containing their happiness if, as everybody expected, Pedro was the winner. "We are going to make an effort to keep calm" said Cruz. Someone who made no effort to hold his enthusiasm was Roberto Benigni, who said: "He does not deserve an Oscar, but 20!"
Almodóvar and his people lived on Saturday night an anticipation of what could happen in case they'd win on Sunday night. In the residence of the Spanish consul in LA, in Beverly Hills, a group of Spanish politicians, actors and famous Spanish people gathered with the Manchego director. All this under the focus of dozens of tv and press cameras of the Spanish media.
Even some of the Academy members present at the party affirming that the victory was certain, in Almodóvar's team they were a bit paranoid thinking that there would be a last minute change. "The Nepalese film could win, here in Hollywood they have a great passion for Buddhism" said the Spanish tv presenter Carlos Lozano half joking, who has a short appearance in the film.
The presence of Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith at the consulate's party eclipsed the presence of Spain's Economy Minister Rodrigo Rato and Culture's Minister Mariano Rajoy. As always Antonio Banderas put up with the general pestering of when is he going to go back to Spain for good. Melanie, making an effort to speak in Spanish even when she was greeted in English impressed everybody.
While a tuna brought especially for the occasion brought a Buñuelist surrealist touch to the event, the members of Almodóvar's troupe expressed their hopes and anguishes. Cecilia Roth was there with her husband the musician Fito Páez so were Candela Peña, Marisa Paredes, Antonia San Juan, Penélope Cruz and her friend Goya Toledo, Carlos Lozano... everybody but Eloy Azorín, who was secluded in the hotel with fever.
Penélope reads the envelope and shouts: "Pedroooo!"
Pedro gets up to go to the stage.
Antonio and Penélope give Pedro his Oscar.
Almodóvar hugs Penélope and Antonio.
Pedro addresses the Academy.
Cecilia Roth and Pedro's brother celebrate in the audience.
Pedro reads his speech.
Pedro says he is going to start to believe in help from the saints.
Antonio has to get Pedro out of the stage because his speech was too long.
Pedro dedicates his Oscar to his brother before he leaves the stage.
Almodóvar celebrates his Oscar backstage.
Pedro kisses his Oscar.
The Ceremony
Ten years after the deception of Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (Women on the verge of a Nervous Breakdown) Pedro Almodóvar touched Hollywood's Heaven.
Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas presented Pedro Almodóvar with the Oscar for Best Foreign Film for Todo Sobre Mi Madre as it had been predicted. Penélope opened the envelope very nervously and with the biggest smile screamed Pedrooo!. Pedro picked the statuette very happy and stunned.
Pedro read his speech in what Billy Cristal called a Benignian English Accent: "My God, don't you think they make one of the most beautiful couple? (pointing at Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas) at least Spanish couple. You know, I come from a country culturally very different than this and in that country is 6 "years" in the morning, so let me dedicate this to the Spanish people that are watching tv now and they sacrificed their Monday just to look you and me with this, I mean, this is for Spain!... I will be very quick (getting his papers out of his pocket) I also want to thank my sister Valenchús and Antonia for the amount of candles that they lit to their favourite saints,you know, cultural difference. Thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Virgin of La Cabeza, the Miraculous, to the Sacred Heart of Mary, to Saint Judas Tadeo and Jesus de Medinacely. I told you that we live in a different country and a different culture... Well, listen, for just to have the one idea what my sisters consider Oscar campaign. You know, they just "lighting" a lot of candles to these saints presided by a photograph of my mother with Penelope and me next to a tweak of laurel which brings good luck. So now I think I'm going to believe in all this... Well, excuse me. Thanks to Sony Classic because, really, they believe a lot in our movie. (Antonio pulling his arm and taking him off the stage) Here is to my brother and to All Spanish people!"
The nerves of the moment for which he had been getting ready for months were more powerful than the Manchego film-maker, whom the very professional Antonio Banderas had to pull away from the stage. The public, with a great ovation, confirmed their sympathy towards the academy's decision, and did not understand a word of Almodóvar's English. Billy Cristal affirmed this by saying that he made Roberto Benigni look like an "English teacher".
Almodóvar's old friends gathered in Madrid to celebrate the great day of the Manchego director. the great moment happened at 6:00 Spanish time. Spanish tv station Canal + had organised a great party at Madrid's casino on Sunday night where a great deal of people related to the Manchego director gathered together to watch the ceremony together and share the great emotion. Famous directors such as Alejandro Amenávar, Julio Medem, Mateo Gil and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, actors like Ana Torrent, Kity Mánver, Paz Vega, Miriam Díaz Aroca, Tristán Ulloa, Mirta Ibarra, Elena Anaya and Francis Lorenzo and people linked to the director's life like Alaska and Fabio McNamara, who sang with Pedro in the 80s and who was nervous all night gathered together to watch the ceremony and share their support for Todo Sobre Mi Madre. A great surprise was the attendance of John Malkovic, who was in Madrid filming
Pedro Almodóvar's aunt Cecilia at her house in Calzada de Calatrava.
In Calzada de Calatrava, the town of 5000 inhabitants in La Mancha where Pedro was born, the ceremony was followed through huge televisions installed at the town's bars. After 6 in the morning fire crackers were lit to let the town know that Pedro had won the Oscar.
Francisco Espinosa, Mayor of Calzada de Calatrava, announced his intention to prepare an institutional act for the director, who will receive the title of doctor honoris causa from the University of Castilla-La Mancha.
Pedro's aunt Cecilia Almodóvar, who still lives in Calzada de Calatrava, was especially excited: "I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or scream. It has been a very big emotion". Cecilia, who, rumours tell, might appear in Almodóvar's next film, stated that "ever since he was a little kid you could tell how clever he was".
The whole of Spain joined Calzada in sharing the happiness for the director's victory, to the extent that the fax machine of El Deseo productions collapsed. The King and Queen of Spain don Juan Carlos and doña Sofía, Spain's Prime Minister José María Aznar, Jordi Pujol, and many actors, directors and Spanish film-makers sent congratulations telegrams to the team of Todo Sobre Mi Madre.
El Deseo Productions has decided to auction props from Todo Sobre Mi Madre for the Spanish charity Intermon. Film posters, soundtrack CDs, copies of the film and press books of the film signed by Pedro Almodóvar will be auctioned. People interested in bidding for them can do it through Intermon's website
Meanwhile, in Beverly Hills, the team of Todo Sobre Mi Madre celebrated their party in a famous West Hollywood club. Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, numerous Spaniards living in Hollywood and some few stars joined Pedro in his celebration. Angelica Houston turned up to congratulate the director: "I have come because I love his films and I wanted to celebrate his award. I'd love to work with him, but he first has to make up his mind in what language his next project will be".
For a few hours the cigarette smoke filled Beverly Hills. Pedro Almodóvar requested that smoke was allowed in the party and LA's Smoke Police did not turn up at the party. The guests were surprised they were allowed to smoke: "there are even ashtrays! I haven't seen this in years".
Antonio Banderas, sitting next to Loles León and Melannie Griffith lamented that he had to get up early the next day. Cecilia Roth's husband the musician Fito Páez lamented they cut Pedro's speech short: "They didn't let him speak and it was very sad. His speech was funny and they didn't leave him in peace!" Antonio Banderas explained: "I had to get him out because in the telepronter we had a message saying 'get out of there. They switched off his mic and nobody could head a word of what he was saying".
Pedro arrived at his party two hours after the end of the ceremony. He entered through the back door after attending the Governor's Ball (which according to the American press is the most expensive party of the country) with his brother Agustín and Cecilia Roth. He stopped by Elton John's party and when he arrived at his party he looked tired and sat down the minute he arrived, with his Oscar in sticking out of his pocket. While everybody danced the night away he just replied politely to the people congratulating him, but he didn't stop to talk for longer than a minute. "I am exhausted. I can't think about anything right now. Tomorrow will be another day" said Pedro.
Pedro arrives in Madrid's airport with Marisa Paredes and his Oscar.
Pedro shows his Oscar to the media.
Pedro Almodóvar wearing dark glasses, which he did not remove throughout the 5 minutes he spent talking to the press at the Madrid Barajas airport arrived in Madrid on the 29th of March accompanied by his brother Agustín, the actresses Marisa Paredes and Antonia San Juan and the members of El Deseo Productions who traveled with him. He had thought of the possibility of staying in LA to talk the final changes through of The Paper Boy or to travel to Costa Rica to rest a few days before going back to Spain.
Happy but "brain-dead" and with his Oscar in hand (and again he dedicated it to all Spanish people) very exhausted said: "I cannot think about anything at the moment, I am exhausted". he said he would start that very same day to work on his new project, of which he has not said whether it will be American or Spanish. he did not want to talk about his feelings towards the Academy for cutting his speech short and said: "I'll tell you everything on Friday".
The whole team brought a golden statuette under their arms, but Pedro held the real one. The fake Oscars were a present from US Airways, who flew the team from Los Angeles to Madrid at 10:40 am.
"Where you nervous in the end?" a reporter asked Pedro, to which he responded: "Well, yes! When Penélope and Antonio read the name of the five films and the public only clapped when mine was named I started to think that maybe I would win".
About the night at the ceremony, he said was not aware of much that happened because he spent most of his time talking at interviews about his film. After that he was expected at a couple of parties and then the following day he spent it resting and having dinner with his team and drinking in their hotel rooms.
"The Oscar hasn't changed my life at all. I will keep working tomorrow in my next film. I don't know if it'll be American or not" commented Almodóvar on his way to his car.
A policeman asked Pedro pointing at his Oscar: "Is made of pure Gold?" to which Pedro said: "I don't think so. It is heavy, but the gold must be just a slight coating".
Surrounded by press and cameras Almodóvar did not want to talk about delicate issues an promised to do it the following day, Friday, in a press conference. "You can ask me whatever you want there. I will tell you absolutely everything and we will be cleanly shaven, showered and with clear heads".
After ringing his producer the director arrived at his car, leaving behind some suitcases and a Giorgio Armani suit bag.
Pedro will have to explain his feelings towards the Academy cutting his speech short. His colleagues said "he was very disappointed, because he trusted they would give him more minutes, like they usually do to other people" and about his Benignian English they commented: "it was all the nerves, because he can speak a lot better than that".
Almodóvar's awaited press conference in Madrid.
Almodóvar announced in a press conference that men are going to become lead characters in his future work. The director finished the Oscar stage with a long press conference in Madrid.
About 300 reporters gathered up at the awaited post-Hollywood press conference of the Manchego director. A "third-degree" questioning with which Almodóvar closes the Todo Sobre Mi Madre era. It's now time to go back to a normal life, watch tv and work in the three scripts he has in hand. Until they are finished, the director will not say which will be his next project. He did advanced that whatever it is it will be about a man this time.
Almodóvar has three options at the moment. Rewrite the American script Paperboy, which does not convince him entirely, or finish the two Spanish scripts he has half-finished and of which he did not comment. Whichever he chooses it will be about a man and he will keep important roles for Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, who presented him the Oscar.
It feels like a century ago, but it was only 5 days ago when Almodóvar got the Oscar for All About My Mother. This is enough time for him to go back to his old self. Clever, ironic, optimist, demystifying and fast of reflexes, the director answered all types of questions -although there were no references to Fabio Mcnamara's statements about their sexual life in common- and he replied with his common self confidence and nerve.
The first thing that Almodóvar made clear is that he wants to close the stage of All About My Mother: "I understand that the people have had enough, it has been an absolute overexposure. Now I just want to go back to my normal life: be at home, watch telly and see my friends".
The press asked him about the night at the Oscars and if he managed to sleep after it. Almodóvar replied that it took a long time to fall asleep, he slept with a clear conscience and with a feeling of fulfillment but without getting the Oscar in bed.
The film maker explained that it was a technically difficult night: the city was clogged, 300 people waiting for their limousines at the same time, the parties over crowded... And about the ceremony he said: "I was only nervous five minutes before they the award. But when I arrived at Antonio's house and I finally relaxed, I was catatonic for 5 hours".
The journalists asked him if the Oscar fulfilled all his dreams. Almodóvar was a bit transcendental and said that everyday there is a dream to fulfill, and the life of a film-maker is not summarised in an Oscar: "One makes a film and what happens with it afterwards has a lot less to do with you than with how the distributors promote it".
Somebody asked him for a summary of his stay in Hollywood. "I'm alive" he said. "I have put up with a whole year of promotion knowing that I was giving up my life and that what was goof for the film was bad for my health. I have been with celebrities, not like a fan but seeing them in their hotel gardens, bowling, shagging, and I have ended more or less conscious".
To the question of whether he would go back to work in America he answered: "That is a different thing. To party with the celebrities does not let you know what it is like to work there, to prepare a film for months, to wake up at 5 in the morning for several weeks, to fight for the producers to let you make the final cut..."
A reporter asked him if he was scared to compete in America. Almodóvar answered: "Compete, you always compete, because cinema is a market. I try to make my movies with my guts, with my feelings, but films then get screened and start to compete in a natural way. With Spielberg and everybody else. I believe Spain competes with the big American films with a higher strength every time. Spanish cinemagoers have lost the inferiority complex of Spanish films".
Talking about All About My Mother Almodóvar was doubtful and humble. "I don't know if it's my best film or not. The thirteen I have made have moments which I like and others I don't. In 20 years I'll be able to say which one is the best".
Accompanied by a dazzling Marisa Paredes, a very quiet Antonia Sanjuán and a shy and friendly Eloy Azorín, Almodóvar had his chance to finally clarify the troubles of his acceptance speech. After admitting that he was tense when he climbed the stage he explained why they switched the mic. off: "obviously they cut me off, which shows that the Oscar to the best foreign film, together with the short film and documentary Oscars are not of any interest to the majority of the viewers who watch the ceremony on tv". After that he went on to explain the speech he had in mind. "I wanted to dedicate it to a lot of people. First to my sisters, who have done a very special campaign lighting candles to all those saints I named. Then to people like the Sony Pictures people, who are the ones who have fought the hardest for the Oscar, because if you don't move the right way over there you're lost. Also to the actresses and actors who took part in the film. And finally to the Spanish Language, which is the one used in the film and is a language the Americans must respect, because unless they start having loads of children, in ten years instead of good-bye they are going to say 'adios'". As a closing remark he sent the ball back to Billy Crystal: "And what is Crystal's Spanish like? probably worse than my English!".
The word of praise from the international press to the talent of Almodóvar got mixed with the irony about the English he used for his acceptance speech. Frankfurter Rundschau affirmed that the director: "has matured with time and has been able to win the hearts of the American cinema fans". He added: "the award is something amazing and shocking, when commercial Hollywood has spent years hating the films of the Spanish film-maker".
Almodóvar shows his Oscar to the people of Calzada.
The Castilla La Mancha university made Pedro Doctor Honoris-causa
Pedro Almodóvar receives a homage in Calzada de Calatrava, his birth town.
La Mancha paid homage to one of its sons. Pedro Almodóvar received homage from Calzada de Calatrava, the town in Ciudad Real where he was born, lived until he was 8 years old and where his parents are buried. "Today the son of Antonio Almodóvar and Francisca Caballero speaks to to you. I am here because of them".
"Viva doña Paca's son!". Almodóvar, accompanied by his brother Agustín and his sisters María Jesús y Antonia, dried his tears with a tissue. "Fellow countrymen, I put my glasses on not to look cool, but because I cannot stop crying". Hundreds of people were crowded in Calzada's plaza de España; in the first row, the president of a mastectomised women's association, who was carrying around her arms a framed photo of the film-maker as if he was a saint. "This is not Calzada de Calatrava, this is Pedro Almodóvar's town", affirmed a chubby woman. Near her, a young man interrupted: "Hello, I'm a fan, if you want you can interview me".
The act, successfully organised by the manchego town's county council (The Castilla La Mancha university has been awaiting the director impatiently for months to make him Doctor Honoris-causa) was advertised the following way in the town: "The public act will start at 7 p.m., on a stage built up for such event in the centric Plaza de España square, where access will be permitted to everybody. The act will start with the municipal corporation of Calzada in the first place, followed by Pedro Almodóvar's family, followed by the mayor and Pedro Almodóvar".
Almodóvar did not disappoint his fellow countrymen and for them he took his Oscar out of his Madrid's flat. Moving along the stage holding it he managed to get the audience hysterical. "This is yours too!" said pointing the golden statuette. In return Calzada's county council gave him another statuette, this one made of silver portraying the other universal manchego that is Don Quijote with an inscription from chapter two of Cervantes' novel. Almodóvar -"hero of Calatrava", as the mayor called him- confessed that they have offered him to do a version of El Quijote in English in Hollywood "and I have said no because if I do it it will be in manchego, and not in English". Next to him, the town's mayor, the socialist Francisco Espinosa, reminded him that his town is not like California, but they love him better here. "The good thing about your town, Pedro, is that we will always understand you and we will never kick you off the stage".
Almodóvar left Calzada de Calatrava at night after he let everybody kiss him, hug him and even squeeze him. he went back to Madrid by car with his brother Agustín. At dusk and before the event, they visited their parents' grave and contemplated the manchego scenery. The green-yellow horizon reminded them of the poem that their mother recited in front of the town when Pedro was seven years old, and which years later he used in La Flor de Mi Secreto (The Flower of My Secret): "Qué hermosa está la mañana, / la luz del sol centellea, / las flores dan su perfume, / los rumores la arboleda. Más adelante, un cortijo; / junto al cortijo, una huerta; / junto a la huerta, una casa; / junto a la casa, la iglesia. / Lleno de flores está el monte, / rica de frutas la vega, / el río con muchos árboles, ¿no lo sabéis?, ésa es mi aldea".
"How beautiful looks the morning/ the sun's light sparks/ the flowers give their perfume/ the grove its rumours. Ahead a cortijo;/ next to the cortijo a garden;/ next to the garden, a house;/ next to the house, the church./ The mountain is full of flowers,/ the trees full of fruit,/ the river with lots of trees, don't you not know? that is my village".
Pedro Almodóvar and Marisa Paredes meet Don Juan Carlos, king of Spain.
The king and queen of Spain met Pedro Almodóvar at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, on the 22nd of May, to congratulate him for his oscar for Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother). The director attended the act along with is brother Agustín and actress Marisa Paredes, who represented the cast and crew of the film, but without the Oscar -"I felt that to bring it was a bit tacky", said Almodóvar.
Pedro told the press: "We have talked about life, mine in particular, about my ordeal until I got all those prizes and got to the Oscar... and about little anecdotes of all ceremonies, and Catherine Deneuve, who has always been my great oponent and about whom I explained to the king, with full details, even her operations".