Mujeres al borde de un ataquede nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown). 1988. Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar

Film

Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown). 1988. Spain. Directed by Pedro Almodóvar. Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics

Mujeres al borde de un ataquede nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown). 1988. Spain. Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar. With Carmen Maura, Fernando Guillén, María Barranco, Antonio Banderas, Rossy de Palma. DCP. In Spanish; English subtitles. 90 min.

Television actress Pepa (Carmen Maura) is desperate because her boyfriend Iván (Fernando Guillén), who dumped her via answering machine message, is about to fly to Stockholm with a new girlfriend. At any cost, Pepa must track him down to deliver a message: she’s pregnant. Along the way, hilarious and mind-boggling events and characters enter and muddy the picture: Pepa’s close friend Candela (María Barranco) might have gotten herself involved in a terrorist plot; a real estate agent sends Iván’s son Carlos (Antonio Banderas) to check out Pepa’s apartment; Carlos’s girlfriend Marisa (Rossy de Palma) accidentally downs a pitcher of substance-infused gazpacho; and a taxi driver with a passion for mambo and kitschy décor keeps appearing to give Pepa a ride. Is it possible to avoid a nervous breakdown with all the madness spiraling out of control and context? This absurd comedy was an international hit, winning multiple Spanish Goya Awards and garnering an Academy Award nomination.

This film accompanies Pedro Almodóvar.

Tue, Dec 13, 2016, 5:30 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T1, Theater 1

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 1
Sat, Dec 3, 2016, 3:00 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T1, Theater 1

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 1

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