Following several smaller works, writer-director Almodóvar broke through in Spain with Pepi, Luci, Bom (1980), which was soon followed by a series of domestic hits, including Dark Habits, Matador and What Have I Done to Deserve This? His first American success, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
Almodóvar finally won that Oscar -- as well as the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival -- for All About My Mother (1999). He followed this up with a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award for the somber, atmospheric Talk to Her.