Bitter Christmas
You’re confusing fiction with reality.
Elsa is an advertising director whose mother dies during a long December holiday. She works non-stop and, without realizing, doesn’t give herself time to mourn her mother’s absence. After a crisis, Elsa decides to travel to the island of Lanzarote accompanied by her friend Patricia, who also needs to get away from the city. The story of these characters runs parallel to that of a screenwriter and film director, exploring how life and fiction are inseparably linked, sometimes painfully so.
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar · Drama · Comedy · 111 min · 2026
Trailer
Director
Pedro Almodóvar
Writer
Pedro Almodóvar
Studio
El Deseo
Release
2026-03-20
Runtime
111 min
Genres
Drama, Comedy
Cast & Characters
Elsa
Bárbara Lennie
Raúl Durán
Leonardo Sbaraglia
Mónica
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón
Patricia
Victoria Luengo
Bonifacio (Beau)
Patrick Criado
Natalia
Milena Smit
Santi
Quim Gutiérrez
Doctor García
Carmen Machi
Elsa's mother
Gloria Muñoz
Gabriela
Rossy de Palma
herself
Amaia Romero
Did You Know?
Did You Know that Almodóvar pitched Bitter Christmas as "a tragic comedy about gender"?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-09-14
Did You Know that Victoria Luengo and Patrick Criado were among the first cast members reported?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-09-14
Did You Know that filming began on June 9, 2025, with Pau Esteve Birba serving as cinematographer?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-09-14
Did You Know that Bitter Christmas was released in Spanish theatres on March 20, 2026?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-09-14
Critical Assessment
Bitter Christmas holds 6.2/10 on TMDb (139 votes). IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic scores will populate automatically via the site's daily refresh once available.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of September 13, 2026
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on TMDb's aggregated score (6.2/10 on TMDb (139 votes)), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitter Christmas good? What are critics saying?+
Bitter Christmas holds 6.2/10 on TMDb (139 votes). IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic scores will populate automatically via the site's daily refresh once available.
How long is Bitter Christmas?+
Bitter Christmas has a runtime of 111 min.
Who directed Bitter Christmas?+
Bitter Christmas was directed by Pedro Almodóvar.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The movie "Bitter Christmas" received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its unique style and Pedro Almodóvar's return to filmmaking. Reviewers noted that the film was a "style of its own", but also criticized its disjointed narrative and lack of coherence. Many reviewers expressed enthusiasm for the cast, including Bárbara Lennie and Carmen Maura.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Split across two distinct timelines, this really quite messy and often almost incoherent drama tells us the story of the migraine-prone "Elsa" (Bárbara Lennie) as she recovers from the death of her mother - after a lingering illness - in 2004. She heads to the calm of the black-s…
CinemaSerf · 6/10
From the trailer's comments
It is a style of its own. Lighting, pace and characters. Even at the end of his films, you want more.
@worldmikel · 6 likesthis is one of his best
@billyandrews1701 · 6 likesWe all want to see the ICONIC ACTRESSES Carmen Maura, Victoria Abril and Angela Molina take center stage in his movies again!
@gaelgarciabernal2434 · 7 likesViva Pedro Almodovar! I am SO looking forward to seeing this film!!!!
@josephrogers2891 · 4 likesLove Almodóvar. Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown will always be his opus magnum.
@FlavioMarceloSousa35 · 1 likesRecuerdo la marcha de 1987-88 en Madrid. La vi la película Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios. Y todavía tengo el poster desde el cine. ¡Perdoneme el mal espanol! . . Y por todas partes las signaturas de Muelle y la arte de Ceese... Estaba alla aquello año como estudiante,…
@rhobot75 · 2 likesHow exciting to have a new Almodovar film coming our way!
@markinsko1626 · 24 likesA new Almodovar film...what more can I ask for? 🎞
@GalGiddyUP · 13 likes
