Almodóvar Calls Out Trump, Oscars at Cannes
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Almodóvar told Cannes journalists that “Europe must never be subjected to Trump,” earning applause.
- Almodóvar urged artists to speak out against censorship, warning that silence signals a crumbling democracy.
- Almodóvar criticized the Oscars for being apolitical, noting only Javier Bardem said “Free Palestine.”
- Almodóvar said the United States is “not a democracy right now,” calling it a paradox of democracy spawning totalitarianism.
- Bitter Christmas premiered at Cannes with a 6.5‑minute standing ovation.
Why it matters: Almodóvar’s Cannes remarks give European artists a high‑profile rallying cry against censorship and U.S. political shifts, while challenging the Oscars’ silence and pressuring French media executives.
