35mm Screening!

The breakout international hit that propelled Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar to global fame, Women on the Verge of Nervous Breakdown is a wild, vibrant farce tinged with heartbreak. The film follows actress Pepa Marcos (Carmen Maura) as her life unravels after being abruptly dumped by her lover. With its madcap pacing, surreal humor, and stylish flair, the film became a defining work of post-Franco Spanish cinema—boldly exploring themes of female desire, emotional instability, and independence.

“Women on the Verge” also sparked controversy upon release. Its candid depiction of women’s mental health, sexuality, and tranquilizer use challenged more conservative audiences and critics. In Spain, the film both scandalized and thrilled a society still adjusting to democratic freedoms, while abroad, it introduced Almodóvar’s unapologetically eccentric and feminist lens to a wider audience.