As we wait patiently for Pedro Almodovar’s Los Abrazos Rotos to reach American movie theaters this November, we can’t help but still feel that things would be a little better if there was some Almodovar new material we could sink our teeth into. That is why we were so relieved to see that the Spanish auteur recently released a short film titled La Concejala Antropófaga (The Cannibalistic Councilwoman), which originally debuted on Spanish cable television.
This is the first short film Almodvar has made in over 30 years (Almodovar, like many directors, got his start in the medium of short film). The unique title of the short is definitely indicative of the what one can expect from it, which, while only seven minutes long, is still able to fit in themes of addiction, feminism, foot fetishes, sex, and yes, cannibalism into a neat, hilarious package.
La Concejala was shot during the filming the upcoming Los Abrazos Rotos which stars his muse Penélope Cruz, who is also in the short in a brief cameo so as to give the short some context in relation to Abrazos. Also starring are Marta Aledo and Carmen Machi. The idea for the short came as a result of Almodovar’s fascination with Carmen Machi’s character, Chon. She has only a brief role in Los Abrazos Rotos, but Almodovar felt that her character needed some expanding outside of the plot of the film .
The short focuses on her character as she gives a long monologue in which the subjects range from feminist theory to foot fetishes. What is amusing about it outside of the subject matter, is that the whole time she is speaking to a passed-out Marta Aledo’s character, head down on the kitchen table. What’s more is that the whole time in between diatribes she eats a sumputous flan and delicately snorts coke. The drug’s effect are immediate since she speaks with such zeal and speed that the viewer almost can’t follow. I will admit that even though I can speak Spanish, I still had a tough time understanding what the hell she was talking about (note: the short is not accompanied by English or Spanish subtitles, although they probably would have helped). Her character is hilarious as she daintily scoops the coke out of a heaping bowl of the stuff and confidently paces around the kitchen explaining why for her, the foot is the most beautiful part of the human body. After detailing her favorite way to um, have a foot inside of her, she admits to the camera that she often times dreams of eating a human, starting off at the foot.
La Concejala Antropófaga has everything about Almodovar that fans of his know and love, not to mention that it also holds us over until November. Watch it here:
La Concejala Antropofaga Pedro Almodovar English Subtitles
Uploaded by girlbitespenblog. – Classic TV and last night’s shows, online.
Look what we just found! An interview with Almodovar talking about the short!