Dark Habits (Entre tinieblas)

"This black comedy ... keeps you smiling at the innocence of the sinful nuns, as they appealingly carry on their appalling practices. You may find yourself uttering an amused amen." – Walter Goodman, New York Times

Following her lover’s fatal drug overdose, a bolero singer seeks refuge in the Convent of Humble Redeemers, a safe haven for women with a history of drugs, prostitution and murder. Alas, no redemption is forthcoming as the convent resembles a house of ill repute, cramped with sundry vices and tenants including heroin, LSD, erotic literature and a wayward tiger. As old lovers and police officers come calling, the house of worship rocks like the ultimate farce.

Following the success of our recent retrospective of Spain’s revered filmmaker, we were deluged by requests for additional gems from Almodóvar’s middle period - some say his finest - which we’re hastening to oblige. As in our original program, all titles have been painstakingly restored to their original splendor. Launching this limited one-week series will be Dark Habits (Entre tinieblas), the film that introduced the maverick director’s work in the US with its premiere at the first Miami Film Festival in 1984. Enjoy!

Program notes adapted from MoMA’s Almodóvar retrospective.

Check out the rest of our Almodóvar II program!