Grab your shoulder pads, apply your boldest red lipstick, and join us for the absurdist dark comedy that skyrocketed legendary Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar to international acclaim. On Wednesday 11 November 2026, we’re watching the scarlet-soaked Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988).

Not only was this Almodóvar’s first feature to win him one of Spain’s prestigious Goya awards (five, in fact), it was also the first film to bag him an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (the original Spanish title) follows voiceover actress Pepa as she struggles to understand why her lover Iván dumps her out of the blue. It’s not long until a revolving door of zany characters interrupts Pepa with their own personal dramas, bringing scene after scene of camp chaos.

“A million nights wouldn't be enough - I can't live without you” 

Women on the Verge mashes together the sitcom-style lighting and sets of the 1950s with the bright colours, geometric patterns, and bold hair and makeup of the 1980s to create a highly stylised feast for the eyes. Most shots in the film feature a quintessentially Spanish, bold red. A sign of the intense emotions, both passion and pain, that the characters experience throughout.

‘A NEW COMEDY ABOUT SOMEONE YOU KNOW’

Our Young Film Programmer group chose this film because it uses absurdist comedy to satirise the ‘hysterical woman’ trope, especially in the context of breakups and heartbreak. Almodóvar has often been applauded for writing complex, relatable female characters, and in this film, for capturing female imperfection and women’s solidarity when facing several different kinds of problems.

POST FILM-DISCUSSION

Our regularly scheduled post-film debrief is a great opportunity for you to discuss Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown with other cinema-lovers, as well as suggest other films and interactive activities you’d like to see STASHED at FACT.

Accessibility

This screening takes place in The Box on the ground floor at FACT and is fully wheelchair accessible. We can accommodate up to 50 wheelchair users for this event. If you are a wheelchair user, please let us know when booking your ticket so we can ensure the space is set up appropriately.

If you have any accessibility requirements, please inform us by emailing events@fact.co.uk.

You can also find information about FACT’s accessibility on our website here: Accessibility or use our Visual Story to prepare for your visit.

Free tickets for CEA or Nimbus Card holders are available from the FACT Welcome Desk or on the door at the time of the event. One free ticket per card holder.