Bitter Christmas
論盡大導
You’re confusing fiction with reality.
6.3/10 Mixed 142 votes
- Released
- 17 Sep 2026
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Original title
- Amarga Navidad
- Language
- es
The verdict
Audiences rate it 6.3 out of 10 on TMDB across 142 votes — a mixed reception. It is playing 35 times at 4 cinemas across 4 districts, from HK$60 to HK$130 depending on cinema and time. The cheapest seat is at Broadway Cinematheque in Yau Ma Tei, HK$60. 111 minutes.
What it is about
What to expect
Almodóvar turns the camera on a director who can’t write—about a director who couldn’t direct. The 2025 timeline follows a celebrated filmmaker stuck on an autofictional script; the script itself is set in 2004, where her younger self, now a commercials director, has a panic attack and flees to the Canary Islands. The two layers mirror each other, and the black-comedy register keeps the grief and creative paralysis from feeling self-serious. Early audience response sits at 6.3/10 from 124 votes—not top-tier Almodóvar, but the kind of nested, self-lacerating structure that will land with viewers who like his later, more reflexive work. The movie runs 111 minutes, is in Spanish with English and Chinese subtitles, and opens in Hong Kong on 17 September 2026. Check listings for certificate and session times.
Trailer
Cast
-
Bárbara Lennie
Elsa -
Leonardo Sbaraglia
Raúl Durán -
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón
Mónica -
Victoria Luengo
Patricia -
Patrick Criado
Bonifacio (Beau) -
Milena Smit
Natalia -
Quim Gutiérrez
Santi -
Rossy de Palma
Gabriela -
Carmen Machi
Médica -
Diogo Belizario
Cliente de la terraza -
Tusti de las Heras
Angelita -
Gloria Muñoz
Madre de Elsa -
Antonio Romero
Médico -
María Morales
Doctora Patricia Otero -
Amaia Romero
Ella misma
Crew
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Writer Pedro Almodóvar
- Original Music Composer Alberto Iglesias
- Director of Photography Pau Esteve Birba
- Editor Teresa Font
- Producer Agustín Almodóvar
- Executive Producer Esther García
Where to watch it
29 screenings at 4 cinemas over the next week, from HK$60.
| Cinema | District | Formats | Screenings | Next | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadway Cinematheque | Yau Ma Tei | — | 14 | Fri 21:40 | HK$60–100 cheapest |
| PREMIERE ELEMENTS (Kowloon Station) | Tsim Sha Tsui | — | 7 | Sat 11:00 | HK$60–110 |
| PALACE ifc | Central | — | 6 | Sat 11:55 | HK$80–130 |
| MOViE MOViE Pacific Place (Admiralty) | Admiralty | — | 2 | Sat 12:35 | HK$80–130 |
Prices and times are as published by the cinemas and can change. Cinema names link through to the full timetable and booking.
What viewers said
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-sanded Lanzarote to rejuvenate her writing career with her troubled friend "Natalia" (Milena Smit) whilst abandoning her hunky fireman/stripper boyfriend "Beau" (Patrick Criado) at home in Madrid. […]
CinemaSerf — 6/10 · read in full
Common questions
- How long is the movie?
- 111 minutes.
- What language is it in and are there subtitles?
- Spanish, with English and Chinese subtitles.
- Is it suitable for children?
- The movie deals with grief and panic attacks and carries a black-comedy tone. Check the local certificate for age guidance.
- Is it showing in IMAX or other large formats?
- No large-format release is listed. Expect standard screenings.
