Madrid has a rich history of excellence in the world of cinema with Pedro Almodóvar being lauded as one of the most innovative Spanish film directors. His life and films have always been closely related to Madrid, and visitors that like his movies can feel this atmosphere in many places around the city.
Like many great artists must leave their hometown and the life they know to learn their craft, Pedro Almodóvar left Calzada de Calatrava at the age of seventeen to explore the vibrant cultural scene of Madrid. Almodóvar credits the city of Madrid as the place which he found his artistic vision and as a place in which he experienced much personal growth. Almodóvar has such a love for Madrid that the city is often a character in his films. As the city of Madrid has undergone much change in recent years, Almodóvar allows the character of Madrid to evolve on the screen as well. The last notion that the director would want an audience to take away from his film is that Madrid is stagnant. The city has changed, and the director does not try to keep the vibrant city contained in a fixed box; he feels that that would not be fair to the city that is teeming with life and that has many stories to tell.
The syllabus for the Spanish and a Passion for Almodóvar Cinema course allows students to see Madrid through the eyes of a director with a great love for the city. Other courses might gloss over the culture of Madrid in a general manner, but this course allows students to become acquainted with Madrid in an intimate and visceral manner. A great filmmaker has honed the craft of speaking to an audience’s heart. Almodóvar’s films not only capture the heart of Madrid, but transports audiences to feel the pulse of the great city in manner that he felt it. Never underestimate the importance of seeing a place or a creation through the lens of passion. Many tourist destinations feel a bit empty because they have often being flattened and made smaller in scope than what they once were, and now as they teem with throngs of tourists they become devoid of the very passion that once made them an intriguing destination in the first place. You could not expect a better guide to introduce you to the city of Madrid than Pedro Almodóvar.
This comprehensive program is designed by Tandem Madrid to allow students to improve their Spanish while learning about on of Madrid’s most notable individuals. If you have a passion for cinema and have been seeking opportunities to improve your Spanish, this course could be an enjoyable and challenging experience.
The interest for Almodóvar is growing every year. Right now he just finished his newest movie “Silence” (Silencio in Spanish), interpreted by Adriana Ugarte and Emma Suárez, to be released in 2016. It’s was filmed in Madrid, Sevilla and Aragon. Visitors coming to Madrid this year will can immerse themselves in some of the places chosen for this film, and live this experience again in the cinemas all around the world in the next year.
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