Chus Lampreave (1930-2016)

Almodóvar aficionados, like you and I, have been dreading this day. But every great movie face eventually only still flickers on screens and in our memories. The great Chus Lampreave, so memorable in so many Pedro Almodóvar movies, has died at 85 years of age. She had been home bound recently in Almería.

Her film career began when Pedro was just a pre-teen. She was given her first acting job by the director Jaime de Armiñán. Like many directors after him, he worked with her repeatedly, including in the Oscar nominated film My Dearest Senorita (1972). She came to international fame via her relationship with Pedro Almodóvar though. She joined his troupe early on as one of his subversive nuns in Dark Habits (1983). She was always easy to spot with those coke bottle glasses, that tiny frame and inimitable voice. Dark Habits was the first of eight collaborations with Pedro over the next 26 years in which her comic timing and deliciously matter-of-fact next door neighbor / elderly relative charisma were always put to great use. After Dark Habits she appeared in Labyrinth of Passion, Matador, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, The Flower of My Secret, Talk to Her, Volver and Broken Embraces.

After the jump a bit more plus photos of some of her most memorable roles...

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Almodóvar's 'Julieta' Gets a Trailer

Manuel here. A new Pedro Almodóvar film is always cause for celebration. Yes, even when his last one (I'm So Excited) left many of us cold. Initially titled Silencio, the film is now called Julieta, making it only the second time he's named a film after its heroine. Let's hope Julieta makes for a more pleasant and engaging character than Kika, though.

The trailer is wonderfully oblique, with very little dialogue, so those of you who would otherwise need English subtitles can still bask in the visual sumptuousness of Jean-Claude Larrieu's photography. The D.P. is one of many newcomers to the Almodóvar family: both of his leading ladies, Emma Suárez and Adriana Ugarte (sharing the title role) are making their Almodrama debuts. But don't worry, actress Rossy de Palma and composer Alberto Iglesias are also onboard, giving Julieta the feel of vintage Pedro. Indeed, the visuals and what little we know of the plot — a chronicle of a woman's life from 1985 to 2015, with some unspoken secrets ready to be divulged — suggest a Volver-type melodrama which is as great a reference point as we could hope for.

We won't do a full on Yes/No/Maybe So because we're obviously a full on YES, but you can check out the trailer below and let us know how excited you are about Pedro's 20th feature which premieres in April in Spain, and August (!!) in the UK, suggesting we're not bound to get it Stateside until the Fall.

Breaking News: Almodovar Will Produce Asghar Farhadi's Next Film

Amir here, to share really exciting news involving two of The Film Experience’s favourite auteurs.

Iranian director Asghar Farhadi's next international project has been announced by an Iranian agency and it will be produced by none other than Pedro Almodovar! The as yet untitled film will start shooting in Spain in October 2016 according to Khabar Online. 

Farhadi’s script for this France-Spain co-production has already been completed. Alexandre Mallet-Guy of Memento Film (which distributed Farhadi’s previous feature The Past) will co-produce the film along with Almodovar. The screenplay is written in English and Spanish and the cast will be comprised of American and Spanish actors. 

Reports suggest that Farhadi, who rose to international fame with About Elly and the Oscar-winning A Separation, intends to film another one of his finished scripts in Iran before travelling to Spain to commence pre-production. The film will be his second feature filmed outside of Iran, following the success of the Paris-set The Past. Almodovar, meanwhile, has his own film to deal with before moving on to Farhadi’s project. He is currently filming Silencio.

Silence/Silencio First Look

Manuel here sharing first looks from two upcoming films from celebrated auteurs that happen to share a title, one which would urge us to stay quiet but when you’re talking about Martin Scorsese and Pedro Almodóvar, there’s no way you’ll get us to shut up.

Scorsese’s Silence, based on Shusako Endo’s 1966 novel, focuses on the persecution of Christians in 17th century Japan. It finished shooting last month and EW shared its first image a few weeks ago, which features Andrew Garfield and Shinya Tsukamoto. The still suggests we’re in for a more serious-minded effort than Scorsese’s last (The Wolf of Wall Street). The film also stars Liam Neeson, Tadanobu Asano and Adam Driver.

While Scorsese’s film looks to be an all-male ensemble, trust Almodóvar to use his newest film Silencio to return to his actressy roots. Filming for the director’s twentieth film began last month. In the vein of Volver, Almodóvar notes that Silencio centers on Julieta (Adriana Ugarte), a woman who is, to use the director’s parlance, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, the roots of which the film explores, offering us flashbacks to her life thirty years prior. The film also stars a number of Almodóvar newcomers like Michelle Jenner and Emma Suárez but it also features the gorgeous (and recent Cannes juror) Rossy de Palma.

Which “silent” film are you most looking forward to in 2016? And, seeing as that’s probably an unfair question given TFE’s actressexual proclivities, let us ponder this: does Garfield following up Ramin Bahrani’s 99 Homes with a Scorsese film getting you excited about his post-Spidey choices?

The Story of My Link

Regan Writes has a great recap of RuPaul's Drag Race's upsetting episode this week (Trixie Mattel - Nooooooooo) and since I haven't been covering it, read this instead
The Vagenda on why we need to stop asking celebrities "are you a feminist?"
Dissolve EXCITING news. Gillian Flynn, who did such an Oscar nomination worthy job of screenwriting her own novel (stupid Academy!) will be co-writing Steve McQueen's next movie. That's a team with potential.
Pajiba awesome Gillian Anderson is on the market, ready for "the one" (gender irrelevant)

I turned down one of the big young adult franchises. I know the guy who took the part is buying his Hollywood mansion in the hills now, that he has secure work for three years. But you have to work yourself into a place where you’re respected
-Douglas Booth 

The Guardian has a good interview with the full lipped, exquisitely jawed Douglas Booth (who doesn't like that people talking about his looks so much... awww, be grateful for them, man. It's how you get/got in the door) who says he's choosing his films based almost solely on who is in the director's chair. 
CHUD the creative team behind 50 Shades of Grey are dropping like flies for the sequels. And the stars want raises and the producers aren't budging. What the hell is going on? Just pay them. They helped make it a hit. Greed sure can ruin a good thing. Or in this case a dumb thing.
Coming Soon Julia Louis-Dreyfus is considering the American remake of Force Majeure. She'd be great but why is no one considering not remaking it? 
Lainey Gossip I don't normally share (or even pay much attention to) gossip stuff but apparently Jeremy Renner is getting divorced and it's already quite messy
Yahoo! Movies an oral history of Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), now thirty years old (gulp). Great quotes 
Towleroad Tom Ford is looking at Amy Adams, George Clooney, and Jake Gyllenhaal for his new film Nocturnal Animals. Way to be original with your casting he said facetiously

Franchise Madness. The End is Nigh
i09 Transformers is aiming to become a "connected universe" a la Marvel movies. The end is truly nigh. If all movies want to be is ongoing big budget television series, what's the point of having them? Just watch more tv.
AV Club looks at the latest tv spot for Terminator Genisys. Yes, I know this one's got both old and young Ahnuld but without James Cameron & Linda Hamilton who cares? Time to move on.
/Film apparently they're also starting over with The Smurfs for 2017. 

Almodóvar with his new star Emma Suarez, in preproduction of "Silencio"

Spanish Wonders
El Pais talks about the new Pedro Almodóvar movie (called Silencio)
El Pais also profiles the two actresses who star Emma Suárez & Adrian Ugarte neither of whom have worked with Pedro before. I know he said none of his normal women work work for this one (and he has quite a large repertory company now essentially) so I thought we'd be seeing totally different looks or body types but no. So now I'm curious as to why he didn't stick with his regulars. I suppose we shall see.
El Confidencial first images from Penélope Cruz's new film ma ma (about a teacher diagnosed with breast cancer). I miss her so much! She vanished once she had that baby

Today's Long Read
"How One Direction Helped Me Find My Girls" - this article on buzzfeed is about refusing to feel guilty for the things you love. While I've personally never understood boy band obsessions I get obsessive fandom because I relate... only with actresses and film directors. While I can't say I agree with every word therein -- I don't think all fandom is good for people (sometimes it's just about conformity and not seeking you own aesthetic interests) and I was quite disturbed by one drawing that says "Remember nobody's feelings are more important than your own" because that is a straight up terrible thing to teach people (other people's feelings are very much important and we need to respect them and be generous and kind to each other) but the central premise that boy band obsessions are deemed silly because they are also considered feminine is spot on truth. The writer wisely condemns the double standard: adult men are encouraged to go bonkers over everything to do with whatever sports teams they follow as well as superhero movies but women are deemed silly if they partake in more "girlish" fandoms like boy bands or YA novels.