Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) has announced that internationally acclaimed Spanish film director, screenwriter, and author Pedro Almodóvar is the recipient of the 50th Chaplin Award. He will be honored during a gala evening at Lincoln Center on April 28, 2025.
The announcement was made this evening by FLC President Lesli Klainberg prior to the 62nd New York Film Festival Centerpiece premiere of Almodóvar’s first English-language feature, “The Room Next Door,” which won the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival and opens at FLC on December 20.
Per this evening’s official announcement, “Internationally recognized for his spirited and bold storytelling with a distinctive and colorful visual style, Pedro Almodóvar is one of Spain’s most celebrated filmmakers. His work is characterized by a blend of humor and melodrama and his ability to create resonant, emotional stories often centered around the lives of strong and fearless women. He has directed 23 features and … received many accolades, including the Academy Awards and Golden Globes for Best Original Screenplay for ‘Talk to Her’ (2002) and Best Foreign Language Film for ‘All About My Mother’ (1999), five BAFTA Awards, a record three wins and 11 nominations for the Goya Award for Best Director, four César Awards, and Best Director at Cannes.”
“Pedro burst into our lives in 1985 with the premiere of his irreverent and darkly humorous film ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’ at New Directors/New Films. I hosted a suitably spirited party in my apartment that night, and it was then that I fell in love,” said Wendy Keys, secretary of the Film at Lincoln Center Board of Directors, in an official statement. “Over the years, he has had 15 films in the New York Film Festival and also helped launch the Walter Reade Theater with a raucous screening of ‘High Heels’ in 1991. We all adore his lively characters, gorgeous palette, and mischievous sense of fun, but his films also affirm his profound love for women and a deep understanding of the human condition. We could not be happier to name Pedro as the recipient of the 50th Chaplin Award.”
Added Klainberg, “Pedro Almodóvar is a storytelling master whose artistry, creativity, and exceptional talent have captivated audiences and filmmakers alike. From his earliest films, he has immersed us in emotionally rich, vibrant, complex, and compassionate worlds. A steadfast believer in cinema’s ability to both entertain and illuminate the human experience, Pedro had touched the hearts of film lovers around the world. Film at Lincoln Center is proud to honor Pedro Almodóvar with the 50th Chaplin Award.”
His long-standing relationship with FLC began with New Directors/New Films screenings of “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” in 1985 and “Law of Desire” in 1987. “The Room Next Door” marks his 15th NYFF selection, of which a record-setting nine titles have been gala presentations. He made his NYFF debut in 1988 with “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” (NYFF26) as the Opening Night selection, and again opened NYFF in 1999 with “All About My Mother” (NYFF37). “Bad Education” (NYFF42), “Volver” (NYFF44), and “The Room Next Door” (NYFF62) were selected as Centerpieces, and “Live Flesh” (NYFF35), “Talk to Her” (NYFF40), “Broken Embraces” (NYFF47), and “Parallel Mothers” (NYFF59) were Closing Night selections. Additional NYFF selections include “The Flower of My Secret” (NYFF33), “The Skin I Live In” (NYFF49), “Julieta” (NYFF54), “Pain and Glory” (NYFF57), “The Human Voice” (NYFF58), and “Strange Way of Life” (NYFF61).
This year, Jeff Bridges was feted at the awards ceremony, with other recent honorees including Viola Davis and Cate Blanchett. Other previous honorees include Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Poitier, Barbara Streisand, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Spike Lee, and many more.
The Chaplin Award tribute will feature excerpts from a selection of his work, appearances by co-stars, friends, and colleagues, and the presentation of the award itself. The Chaplin Award Gala is the major annual fundraiser for Film at Lincoln Center; proceeds support the nonprofit organization’s year-round programs, including film series, student programs, and film festivals such as the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films.
