Pedro Almodovar
A native of the Spanish region of La Mancha , the setting of Cervantes’ classic novel “Don Quijote,” Almodóvar always has a book with him when he travels. His screenplays are completely his own – never adapted – and are the basis for the undeniable originality that characterizes his cinematic work. But in the home of the two-time Oscar winner – for Best Foreign Language Film (“Todo sobre mi madre”) in 1999 and Best Original Screenplay (“Hable con ella”) in 2002 – the most important things are his books.Q. Which book are you reading at the moment?
A. “Continental Drift” by Russell Banks. I’m also reading a noir novel by Jim Thompson. To read in Spanish, the authors don’t have to be Spaniards.
Q. Which book has had the biggest impact on you in your lifetime?
A. Recently “The Human Stain” by Philip Roth. After reading it I tried to acquire the rights so it could be my first film in English but they had already been sold.
Q. Who is your favorite author?
A. J.M. Coetzee. An author who synthesizes very well, is very accurate and employs very short phrases. The (author) who uses language better than anyone at the moment. Every phrase leaves me dumbfounded.
Q. How would you encourage reading?
A. Reading is one of the most enduring pleasures, something you can do alone and accompanies you your whole life. It’s a pleasure that nourishes your senses, your intelligence, your spirit and is immediate. And there are so many good books that even if you wanted to there’s no time to read them all. What better reason to encourage reading!
