When will Bitter Fest be shown in Gelsenkirchen?

The screening begins on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 17:45.

Where will the screening take place?

Bitter Fest will be shown at Schauburg Filmpalast at Horster Straße 6 in Gelsenkirchen.

How long is the film?

The film lasts approximately 111 minutes.

What age is Bitter Fest rated for?

Bitter Fest is rated for ages 12 and up in Germany.

Who directed Bitter Fest?

The direction and screenplay are by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar.

Which actors are featured?

The ensemble includes Bárbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Victoria Luengo, and Patrick Criado.

Bitter Fest: Pedro Almodóvar's Powerful Cinema about Art, Grief, and Truth

Name: Bitter Fest
Start: 2026-10-27T17:45:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-27T19:36:00+01:00
Location: Schauburg Filmpalast

Bitter Fest: When Life Becomes the Script

On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, the Kommunale Kino at Schauburg Filmpalast Gelsenkirchen will showcase Pedro Almodóvar's new tragicomedy Bitter Fest. The artfully nested film journey intertwines grief, creative exhaustion, and the risky proximity between personal experience and artistic processing.

Two Time Frames, a Painful Echo

At the center is Elsa, a successful commercial director who escapes into work after her mother's death. A panic attack forces her to take a break; together with her friend Patricia, she travels to Lanzarote. Meanwhile, the author and director Raúl Durán struggles with a long creative crisis in the same city. His new work tells Elsa's story.

Almodóvar's Play with Truth and Fiction

The dramaturgy follows a screenplay-in-screenplay construct, allowing reality and invention to increasingly flow into each other. Almodóvar examines the ethical boundaries of autofiction: Who owns a life story once it becomes art? This tension develops into an emotional stage experience in cinematic form, supported by precise acting and a staging that oscillates between intimacy and stylized color dramaturgy.

An Author's Film with a Strong Cinematic Signature

Pedro Almodóvar, known for films like All About My Mother, Talk to Her, and Volver, premiered Bitter Fest in 2026 in the competition at the Cannes International Film Festival. Bárbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia, and Aitana Sánchez-Gijón lead a multifaceted ensemble. The runtime is approximately 111 minutes, and the age rating is FSK 12.

An Intense Cinema Experience at Kommunale Kino

The screening is part of the KoKi series author film and offers a concentrated look at a central question of modern stage art and film: When does inspiration become appropriation? The theater atmosphere of Schauburg Filmpalast, the large screen, and Almodóvar's expressive visual language create an evening for all who appreciate sophisticated cinema, strong characters, and refined narrative forms.

Conclusion: A Film Evening Between Emotion and Reflection

Bitter Fest promises not a smoothly resolved drama but a sensitive play with perspectives, memory, and artistic responsibility. The audience expects a color-intensive, self-reflective cinematic experience with compelling acting and dramaturgy that continues to resonate long after the credits. Mark the date now and experience Almodóvar's new production live in the cinema.