A City Seen through Water: Madrid by Pedro Almodóvar and its Castilian Context

Abstract

The city of Madrid is analyzed, in this work, through the images in relation to water from Pedro Almodóvar's work. This approach allows the research, first, to establish connections between the city and its Castilian context, to which the filmmaker owes so much and, second, to delve into the city in detail, analyzing situations that run through the urban space from the street, the fountain or the pool, to intimate scenes that show another city in the bathroom or kitchen. A study, in short, that explores the symbology of water when it intervenes in the city that Pedro Almodóvar's films represents, offering a transversal reading of Madrid, which is shown in all its complexity—and humanity—when seen through water.