Bitter Christmas

Bitter Christmas (2026)



Amarga Navidad

6.2 2026 111 min Spain

Director: Pedro Almodóvar

Cast: Bárbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Victoria Luengo, Patrick Criado

Comedy Drama
When Elsa, a high-powered advertising director, loses her mother in December, she buries her grief beneath a mountain of deadlines. But when a sudden panic attack forces her to pump the brakes, she and her best friend Patricia escape to the volcanic landscapes of Lanzarote. Their personal journey unfolds alongside the intertwined tales of a screenwriter and a film director, weaving a layered narrative that reveals how deeply life and storytelling are tangled together—often with a sharp, aching edge.

More About This Film

Bitter Christmas is a Spanish tragicomedy from Pedro Almodóvar that tells two interconnected stories set in different periods. One follows advertising director Elsa during a turbulent Christmas weekend in 2004, while the other follows filmmaker Raúl in 2026 as he turns a version of Elsa's story into a screenplay.

The film plays with autofiction, memory and the boundary between lived experience and artistic invention. Bárbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia and Aitana Sánchez-Gijón lead a large ensemble, with Almodóvar's regular interest in family, desire and creative identity woven into the structure.

  • Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar.
  • Produced by El Deseo with Spanish and Italian partners.
  • Officially selected for the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
  • Won the Cannes Film Festival Soundtrack Award.
  • Music was composed by Alberto Iglesias.

Where to Watch

Bitter Christmas is available on digital storefronts in some territories, while theatrical and release windows continue to differ by country.