Official Poster for Almodóvar’s Lanzarote-shot Film Revealed Gazette Life

The official poster for Pedro Almodóvar’s highly anticipated new feature, “Amarga Navidad” (Bitter Christmas), has been unveiled. The film, which was shot across locations in Lanzarote and Madrid last summer, is set for theatrical release on 20th March.

Revealed yesterday afternoon, the poster is the work of acclaimed artist Javier Jaén. It heralds the upcoming drama from the Oscar-winning Spanish auteur, which boasts a stellar cast including Bárbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Victoria Luengo, Patrick Criado, Milena Smit, and Quim Gutiérrez.

For this production, Almodóvar once again turned his lens to Lanzarote’s iconic landscapes. Key filming took place at the famous Charco de los Clicos in El Golfo, Yaiza, and amidst the unique vineyards of La Geria during July and August.

According to La Voz, the production provided a significant boost to the local creative industry, employing numerous Lanzarote residents as extras. Casting calls attracted islanders aged from 7 to 75 to participate in the project.

“Amarga Navidad” is written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar and produced by his brother, Agustín Almodóvar, through their renowned production company El Deseo.

This marks the director’s second major project filmed on the island, following his 2009 film “Los Abrazos Rotos” (Broken Embraces), starring Penélope Cruz. For that film, he also utilised dramatic backdrops including Mirador del Río, Playa de Famara, and the roundabout near the César Manrique Foundation in Tahíche.

The Cabildo’s Tourism and Culture councillor, Ángel Vázquez, stated, “Hosting an international production of this calibre once again places Lanzarote in a privileged position within the global audiovisual scene. It showcases our extraordinary landscapes to the world and generates significant economic activity for the local sector.”

Lanzarote Film Commission, under the umbrella of the Cabildo’s Society for Tourism Promotion, played a pivotal role in facilitating the production on the island.