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The Skin I Live In
La piel que habito
2011 120 min Spain R 16+
★7.6
Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
🎭 Based on
«Tarantula»
byThierry Jonquet
Trailers
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EN
Teaser
EN
EN
Description
A brilliant plastic surgeon creates a synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession.
Budget:
$13M
US Gross:
$3.19M
Worldwide:
$33.75M
Starring
Antonio Banderas
Actor
Elena Anaya
Actor
Jan Cornet
Actor
Awards
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Original Score
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Actress
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Cinematography
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Costume Design
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Sound
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Actor
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Picture
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Director
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Debut Actress
Golden Globe 2012
— Best International Feature Film
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Debut
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Film Editing
European Film Awards 2011
— Best Production Design
Saturn Awards 2012
— Best Actor
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Visual Effects
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Production Design
Goya Awards 2012
— Best Production Management
Saturn Awards 2012
— Best International Feature Film
Saturn Awards 2012
— Best Supporting Actress
Saturn Awards 2012
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
BAFTA 2012
— Best International Feature Film
European Film Awards 2011
— Best Original Score
Key opinion
Pedro Almodóvar’s psychological thriller is a polarizing, visceral experience that blends high-concept genre elements with themes of obsession and identity. While many viewers are captivated by its visual elegance, shocking plot twists, and Antonio Banderas's intense lead performance, others find the narrative’s moral ambiguity and grotesque subject matter deeply alienating.
| Acting | Antonio Banderas delivers a compelling, restrained, and psychologically complex portrayal of an obsessed surgeon. | |
| Production | The film’s visual presentation is consistently praised for its lavish, tactile, and highly stylistic production design and cinematography. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative structure effectively uses a series of unpredictable twists and non-chronological storytelling to sustain intense intrigue. | |
| Emotion | The film leaves viewers deeply divided: some are emotionally overwhelmed by its macabre artistry, while others find the themes of sexual violence and transformation repulsive and morally unconvincing. | |
| Ending | Opinions on the film's conclusion diverge significantly, with some praising its ability to force uncomfortable reflection, while others dismiss it as vague, unsatisfying, or narratively hollow. |