10/01/2011

Last December, amid the controversy over Parliament’s rejection of the Sinde Law against piracy (see news), producer Agustín Almodóvar told Spanish newspaper El País that, because of the lack of protection against illegal exploitation of cinematic works in Spain, the launch strategy for his brother Pedro’s new feature, The Skin I Live In (see news), would radically change: “We will postpone its release until autumn and, as though we were a US major – which we’re not – we will launch it simultaneously worldwide”.

Until now, the La Mancha-born director’s films were usually released in Spain in spring, followed by a screening at the Cannes Film Festival, thus leaving the last quarter of the year for distribution in the rest of the world.

Besides this significant change, which deprives Spanish cinema of a rare safe box office bet in the first half of the year, Pedro Almodóvar spoke for the first time about the genre of The Skin I Live In, which shifts between various different worlds. He commented: "I usually mix genres and, when one predominates, I don’t respect all the rules. Now I’ve seen it, I think the film is an intense drama that at times leans towards noir, at times science fiction, and at other times towards horror".

The film, which stars Antonio Banderas (reunited with Almodóvar after 21 years – see news), Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet and Roberto Álamo, wrapped shooting after almost four months. Currently in post-production, the film is expected to be released in September, after a likely screening at Cannes.

(Translated from Spanish)