The Role Of Women In Almodovar

1577 Words7 Pages
In modern world, role of gender has always been an important issue that made lots of people question the social structure. Especially the rise of the feminism in the western world pointed out the problems that are caused by the patriarchy, which still seems to be the main source that shapes worldwide cultures and traditions. These problems became a source for many art forms and art became a speaking voice for those who want to change this structure of the world. In contemporary art this voice can be heard frequently through film, and Pedro Almodovar is one of the filmmakers, who I consider an auteur, known for revealing the world’s masculine structure and celebrating the women in his movies. For most, Almodovar’s films are crucial because they show us the possibility of living in a world that is not shaped by gender roles. In this paper I will discuss how Almodovar represents gender and more specifically women in two of his films: All About My Mother and Talk To Her. To understand Almodovar’s films it is important to understand the context of the Spain under Franco rule, where he spent his youth. Censorship and repression were very much present in the society and it was expected to perform a certain lifestyle. It was a heavily patriarchal society controlled by a father figure (Franco) who was absent for most of the people. Under Franco, women had traditional roles like being a mother and a faithful wife. After the death of Franco, Almodovar takes this structure and melts