Film at Lincoln Center Announces Pedro Almodóvar as Recipient of the 50th Chaplin Award

Renowned Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar will be honored with the prestigious 50th Chaplin Award at a star-studded gala on April 28, 2025, Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) has announced. The celebrated director, screenwriter, and author is set to receive this honor for his significant contributions to the film industry, which have inspired audiences and filmmakers around the world for decades.

Photo byLincoln Center

The announcement was made by FLC President Lesli Klainberg just before the premiere of Almodóvar’s first English-language film, The Room Next Door, during the 62nd New York Film Festival. The feature, which won the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival, will debut at FLC on December 20.

Almodóvar, internationally known for his daring and vibrant storytelling, has been a leading voice in global cinema for over four decades. His films are a mix of humor, melodrama, and bold visuals, often centered on complex, fearless female protagonists. Among his iconic works are Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989), Volver (2006), and Pain and Glory (2019). Almodóvar has garnered numerous prestigious awards, including Academy Awards for All About My Mother (1999) and Talk to Her (2002), as well as multiple BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Goya Awards.

The Chaplin Award Tribute will celebrate Almodóvar’s illustrious career with a showcase of his most memorable works, appearances by some of his most famous collaborators, and a personal acceptance of the award by the legendary filmmaker himself.

Almodóvar will join an illustrious group of past honorees that includes Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Poitier, Barbra Streisand, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Spike Lee, and Viola Davis. The Chaplin Award Gala serves as FLC’s primary annual fundraiser, supporting the organization’s year-round programming, including student outreach, film series, and festivals such as the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films.

Wendy Keys, secretary of FLC’s Board of Directors, reflected on Almodóvar’s legacy, recalling the moment she fell in love with his work in 1985 after a New Directors/New Films screening of What Have I Done to Deserve This?. “Pedro’s films enchant us with their colorful characters and their spirit, but they also reveal his deep love for women and his profound grasp of the human condition,” Keys said in a press statement.

Lesli Klainberg, president of FLC, emphasized Almodóvar’s influence, calling him a “master storyteller” and a champion of cinema’s ability to connect with the human experience. “His vibrant, emotionally rich films have captivated audiences for decades,” Klainberg said in a press release. “We are proud to honor him with this milestone Chaplin Award.”

Almodóvar’s relationship with Film at Lincoln Center dates back to 1985, when his film What Have I Done to Deserve This? was featured at New Directors/New Films. He has since had 15 of his films selected for the New York Film Festival, nine of which were gala presentations. His 2025 Chaplin Award will mark another momentous occasion in a partnership that has spanned decades.