CANNES — Pedro Almodóvar, the celebrated Spanish filmmaker, used his platform at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday to deliver a sharp political rebuke, calling Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Vladimir Putin “monsters” and urging Europeans to act as a counterweight.
Speaking at a press conference for his new film Amarga Navidad (Bitter Christmas), which is competing for the Palme d’Or, Almodóvar wore a “Free Palestine” pin on his lapel and told journalists: “As Europeans, we are obliged to become a kind of shield against these monsters like Trump, Netanyahu, or the Russian. We are obliged to do so because here, we respect international law.”
A Director’s Political Voice
The director of classics such as Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother) and Hable Con Ella (Talk To Her) has long been outspoken on global affairs. He previously urged Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to cut all diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel over the war in Gaza. His remarks in Cannes echo those of fellow Spanish star Javier Bardem, who was also at the festival this year promoting Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s drama The Beloved.
Bardem, 57, told Reuters that the film’s exploration of toxic masculinity resonated with him personally, noting that “the idea of this masculinity that is aggressive, that it has to be also showcasing his power over others, that's something that resonates with me, because that's the generation that I grew up with. And it's wrong.” He broadened the conversation at a Cannes press conference, arguing that such “male toxic behaviour” extends to world leaders including Trump, Putin, and Netanyahu, and that this aggression fuels conflicts.
Almodóvar’s intervention comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension. Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House, has pursued a confrontational foreign policy, including a recent threat to strike Iran that was halted after mediation by Gulf states. Meanwhile, Putin’s visit to Beijing days after Trump tested China’s diplomatic balance, as reported by European Pulse. The EU itself is navigating a complex trade deal with the US as Trump’s deadline approaches, with Brussels and Washington at odds over the terms.
Almodóvar’s call for a European “shield” reflects a broader sentiment among some European cultural figures who see the continent as a defender of multilateralism and international law. The director, who won the Best Director award at Cannes in 1999 for All About My Mother and the Golden Lion at Venice in 2024 for The Room Next Door, is no stranger to using his art and public appearances to address political issues.
His film Bitter Christmas is one of 22 entries vying for this year’s Palme d’Or. The festival, which runs until May 31, has also seen protests and discussions around the war in Gaza, with several filmmakers and actors using red carpets and press conferences to voice their positions.
Almodóvar’s remarks are likely to resonate across Europe, where debates over the role of the EU in global affairs are intensifying. As the continent faces challenges from a resurgent Russia, a volatile Middle East, and a potential second Trump presidency, his call for a unified European stance may find echoes in political circles from Madrid to Berlin.
