The Skin I Live In (2011) La piel que habito (original title)

Director:

Pedro Almodóvar

Writers:

Pedro Almodóvar (screenplay)
Agustín Almodóvar (collaboration)
(more)

Release Date:

17 August 2011 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Plot:

A brilliant plastic surgeon, haunted by past tragedies, creates a type of synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession.

Plot Keywords:

Skin | Death | Revenge | Key | Plastic Surgeon

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 21 wins & 38 nominations

Cast

Antonio Banderas	...	Robert Ledgard
Elena Anaya	...	Vera Cruz
Marisa Paredes	...	Marilia
Jan Cornet	...	Vicente
Roberto Álamo	...	Zeca
Eduard Fernández	...	Fulgencio
José Luis Gómez	...	Presidente del Instituto de Biotecnología
Blanca Suárez	...	Norma Ledgard
Susi Sánchez	...	Madre de Vicente
Bárbara Lennie	...	Cristina
Fernando Cayo	...	Médico
Chema Ruiz	...	Policía
Buika	...	Cantante (as Concha Buika)
Ana Mena	...	Norma joven
Teresa Manresa	...	Casilda Efraiz
Fernando Iglesias
Agustín Almodóvar	...	Agustín
Miguel Almodóvar	...	Hijo de Agustín
Marta R. Mahou	...	Profesora de Yoga en TV
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guillermo Carbajo	...	Amigos (uncredited)
Violaine Estérez	...	Colega del Dr. Ledgard (uncredited)
Sheyla Fariña	...	Amigos (uncredited)
Esther García	...	Presentadora (uncredited)
Iván González Lewis	...	Músico (uncredited)
Carmen Machi	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
David Vila	...	Amigos (uncredited)

Directed by
Pedro Almodóvar

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Agustín Almodóvar		collaboration
Pedro Almodóvar		screenplay
Thierry Jonquet		novel "Tarantula"

Produced by
Agustín Almodóvar	....	producer
Esther García	....	producer
Bárbara Peiró	....	associate producer (as Barbara Peiró)

Original Music by
Alberto Iglesias

Cinematography by
José Luis Alcaine

Film Editing by
José Salcedo

Casting by
Luis San Narciso

Production Design by
Antxón Gómez		(as Antxon Gómez)

Art Direction by
Carlos Bodelón

Set Decoration by
Vicent Díaz		(as Vicente Díaz)

Costume Design by
Paco Delgado

Makeup Department
Oscar Aramburu	....	hair assistant: Galicia
Tamar Aviv	....	special makeup effects artist: DDT
María Barreiro	....	hair assistant: Galicia
María de los Ángeles Cambronero	....	additional hairstylist (as Mª Ángeles Cambronero)
Manolo Carretero	....	hair stylist
Cristina Couto	....	makeup assistant: Galicia
Fanibell	....	makeup assistant: Galicia (as Fannybell)
Raquel Fidalgo	....	assistant makeup artist
Carlos Hernández	....	additional makeup artist
María Illobre	....	makeup assistant: Galicia
Sylvie Imbert	....	additional makeup
Chass Llach	....	additional hairstylist
David Martí	....	special makeup effects artist
José Martínez	....	hair assistant: Galicia
Fani Mosqueira	....	hair assistant: Galicia
Mamen Peña	....	additional hairstylist
Esther Quintas	....	makeup assistant: Galicia
Montse Ribé	....	special makeup effects artist
Carlos Rivadulla	....	hair assistant: Galicia
Pablo S. Santomil	....	hair assistant: Galicia
Karmele Soler	....	makeup artist
Suzanne Stokes-Munton	....	wig design
Aleix Torrecillas	....	mold maker: DDT SFX
Susana Veira	....	makeup assistant: Galicia
Patricia Vilela	....	hair assistant: Galicia

Production Management
Sergio Díaz	....	unit production manager
Toni Novella	....	production manager
Federico Rozadillas	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Manuel Calvo	....	first assistant director (as Manu Calvo)
Juan Carlevaris	....	trainee assistant director
Laura Díez	....	trainee assistant director
David Esquivel	....	third assistant director
Patricia González	....	second assistant director: Galicia (as Patricia Glez. Galán)
Jon Iglesias	....	additional assistant director
Francisco Lareu	....	second assistant director: Galicia
Eva Sánchez	....	second assistant director (as Eva S. Nofuentes)

Art Department
Gonzalo Ansó	....	props
Pablo Buratti	....	storyboard artist
Jesús Calzada	....	assistant decorator
Carlota Casado	....	assistant decorator
Alexandra Fernández	....	assistant decorator: Galicia
Juan Gatti	....	graphic designer
Mikel Izaguirre	....	props
Antía León Castro	....	property master (as Antía León)
Alejandra Loiseau	....	set designer
José Luis Moya	....	construction coordinator
Ramón Moya	....	construction manager
Juan Antonio Padilla	....	property master (as Juanan Padilla)
Antón Pena	....	props: Galicia
Ramón Rubira	....	props: Galicia
Pablo Seoane	....	props
Juan Ignacio Viñuales	....	props (as Juan I. Viñuales)
Tanja Wahlbeck	....	painter (as Tania Wahlbeck)
Tanja Wahlbeck	....	props (as Tania Wahlbeck)

Sound Department
Eduardo G. Castro	....	sound editing assistant
Juan Dibarboure	....	boom operator
Diego Díaz	....	sound assistant
Álex F. Capilla	....	foley artist
Patrick Ghislain	....	foley mixer
Mario González	....	sound re-recording mixer assistant
Pelayo Gutiérrez	....	sound editor
Ana Belén Martín	....	post sound production
Iván Marín	....	sound
César Molina	....	dialogue editor
Marc Orts	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rafa Paniagua	....	sound editing assistant
Josep Prieto	....	sound recordist
Jaume Puig	....	dolby consultant

Special Effects by
César Abades	....	special effects technician
Reyes Abades	....	special effects supervisor
Óscar Abades	....	special effects technician (as Oscar Abades)
Tamar Aviv	....	prosthetic makeup artist: DDT
Maxime Boquier	....	special effects makeup: DDT SFX Crew
Paula Eden	....	special makeup effects artist: DDT
Sebastian Lochmann	....	sculptor
José M. Meneses	....	special effects technician: DDT
Jordi Morera	....	special effects makeup: DDT SFX Crew
Raquel Munuera	....	special effects makeup: DDT SFX Crew
Stephen Murphy	....	prosthetics sculptor
Pablo Perona Navarro	....	special effects makeup: DDT SFX Crew
Yago Partal	....	conceptual designer: DDT
Daniel Reboul	....	special effects
Marcos Sagasta	....	special effects technician: DDT sfx
Joaquín Vergara	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Sonsoles Aranguren	....	digital compositor (as Sonsoles L. Aranguren)
Bahar Cetin	....	digital compositor
Pilar Cienfuegos	....	digital compositor
Alicia del Rio	....	digital conform artist
Eduardo Díaz	....	visual effects supervisor
Ezequiel Larrú	....	digital compositor
Alberto Luceño	....	cgi artist
Helen Marti Donoghue	....	visual effects producer
Guillermo Martínez Benavente	....	digital compositor
Ramón Ramos	....	digital compositor
Thorsten Rienth	....	digital compositor
Paula Rubio	....	digital compositor
Yolanda Rubio	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Pablo Amorós	....	stunt performer (as Pablo Amoros)
Camino Capellín	....	stunt performer (as Camino G. Capellín)
César Solar	....	stunt coordinator
César Solar	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Francisco Argibay	....	electrician: Galicia
Aitor Axpe	....	additional electrician
Fernando Beltrán	....	gaffer
Nacho Cadena	....	electrician: Galicia
Edu Canet	....	second assistant camera trainee
Roberto Cuadrado	....	electrician
Abraham Cubo	....	additional electrician
Antonio de Benito	....	additional electrician
Cuco de la Peña	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Joaquín 'Cuco' de la Peña)
Óscar de Luna	....	electrician (as Oscar de Luna)
Roberto de Miguel	....	grip (as Roberto Miguel)
Fidel Dopazo	....	electrician: Galicia
Llúcia Faraig	....	still photographer (as Lucía Faraig)
Ezequiel Fernández	....	additional electrician
Carlos García	....	additional electrician
José Haro	....	still photographer
Igor Iglesias	....	video assist
Aarón López	....	assistant camera
Joaquín Manchado	....	camera operator
Raúl Manchado	....	Steadicam operator
Manuel Mayor	....	electrician: Galicia
Carlos Miguel	....	key grip
Santiago Millán	....	additional electrician (as Santi Millán)
José Luis Molero	....	additional electrician
Sergio Morales	....	additional electrician
Imanol Nabea	....	assistant camera: Galicia
Luis Neira	....	electrician: Galicia
Chiqui Palma	....	second camera operator: Galicia
Jon Peter	....	assistant camera
Ana Portela Rodríguez	....	electrician: Galicia
Enrique Pérez	....	electrician
Lago Quintas	....	electrician: Galicia
Isabel Rega	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Hiram Ríos	....	steadicam assistant: Galicia
Marcelino San Eugenio	....	additional electrician (as Marcelo San Eugenio)
Alberto Sánchez Beltrán	....	electrician (as Alberto Sánchez)
Ramón Sánchez	....	second camera operator: Galicia
Ramón Sánchez	....	steadicam operator: Galicia
Xose Tubio	....	electrician: Galicia (as Xose M. Tubío)
Guillermo Vázquez	....	second assistant camera: second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sonia Capilla	....	additional seamstress
Miguel Cervera	....	costume assistant
Jean-Paul Gaultier	....	selected wardrobe
Sonia Isla	....	assistant costume designer
Joaquín Montull	....	assistant costume designer
Rosa María Pérez	....	seamstress (as Rosa Mª Pérez)
Clotilde Vaello	....	seamstress: Galicia
Virginia Vera	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Chema Alba	....	colorist
Diana G. Jimena	....	second assistant editor
Marta Velasco	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Jo Buckley	....	assistant orchestra contractor
Javier Casado	....	music producer (as J. Casado)
Javier Casado	....	musician
David Cerrejón	....	assistant to the composer
José Luis Crespo	....	music recording engineer
José Luis Crespo	....	music recording mixer
Andrew Crowley	....	musician (as Andy Crowley)
Fernando Favier	....	musician: "Se me hizo fácil"
Joulien Ferrer	....	musician: "Se me hizo fácil"
Jake Gill	....	music runner
Iván González Lewis	....	musician: "Se me hizo fácil" (as Iván 'Melón' Lewis)
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestral contractor
Vicente Huerta	....	musician
Alberto Iglesias	....	music producer
Inoidel	....	musician: "Se me hizo fácil"
Peter Lale	....	musician
Evereth Nelson	....	orchestra leader
Dany Noel	....	chorus: "Se me hizo fácil" (as Dani Noel)
Dany Noel	....	musician: "Se me hizo fácil" (as Dani Noel)
Anthony Pleeth	....	musician
Carlitos Sarduy	....	musician: "Se me hizo fácil"
Mary Scully	....	musician

Transportation Department
Carlos Bautista	....	driver: Antonio Banderas
Andrés García	....	driver
Mateo Roycki	....	driver: Pedro Almodóvar

Other crew
Alberto Alén	....	location manager: Galicia
Rafa Bautista	....	trainer (as Rafael Bautista)
Yuyi Beringola	....	script supervisor
Gabi Díaz Bermejo	....	production runner
Lucilia Coelho	....	production team
Covadonga R. Gamboa	....	production coordinator
Lola García	....	assistant to director
Mercedes González Barreira	....	press assistant (as Mercedes Glez. Barreira)
Fernando Lueches	....	assistant to director
Israel Mendoza	....	second production assistant
Marina H. Molini	....	second production assistant
Yuriria Montero	....	cashier
Liliana Niespial	....	international relations assistant
Rafael Pajares	....	second production assistant (as Rafa Pajares)
Diego Pajuelo	....	financial advisor
Deborah Palomo	....	press
Marta R. Mahou	....	yoga teacher
Federico Rozadillas	....	first production assistant
María Talón	....	cashier

Thanks
Louise Bourgeois	....	thanks
Ignacio Orovio	....	thanks
Gonzalo Suárez	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Blue Haze Entertainment
• Canal+ España
• El Deseo D.A. S.L.U.
• FilmNation Entertainment
• Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO)
• Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA)
• Televisión Española (TVE)

Distributors

• Bir Film (2011) (Turkey) (all media)
• A-Film Distribution (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alternative Films (2011) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Broadmedia Studios (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Diamond Films (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2011) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Incognito Films (2011) (Estonia) (theatrical)
• Incognito Films (2011) (Latvia) (theatrical)
• Incognito Films (2011) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Pathé Films (2011) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Pathé (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2011) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• TOBIS Film (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Transmission Films (2011) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Videocine S.A. de C.V. (2011) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Argentina Video Home (2012) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2012) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• EDKO Film (2012) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• EDKO Film (2012) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Film1 (2013) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Mongkol Major (2012) (Thailand) (all media)
• Paris Filmes (2011) (Brazil) (all media)
• Pathé Vidéo (2011) (France) (DVD)
• Pris Audiovisuais (2011) (Portugal) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sun Distribution (2011) (Non-USA) (all media) (Latin America)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2012) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Digital Media Services (DMS)  digital asset management
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• La Bocina  sound post-production
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"La piel que habito" - Spain (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for disturbing violent content including sexual assault, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, drug use and language

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Ireland:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA15+ | UK:15 | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16 (f) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | South Korea:18 | Hong Kong:III | Mexico:B15 | Japan:R15+ | Singapore:R21

Filming Locations:

A Estrada, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain

Company:

Blue Haze Entertainment

Trivia:

The man that goes to the dress shop to bring his wife's garments, is Agustín Almodóvar, producer of the film and brother of Pedro Almodóvar.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Doctor Robert Ledgard and his colleague are preparing themselves for the surgery they wear sterile gloves and then tie each other clothes from the back, that is considered non sterile, so they will contaminate the surgery.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Marilia:[to servant] Help me with the dumbwaiter.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Maltin on Movies: Footloose (#1.50)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Por el amor de amar

Almodovar meets De Sade in The Skin I Live In.

The Skin I Live In is really a film that should be seen by a very big audience, obviously it's a movie that probably doesn't appeal to a very big crowd, it appeals to an older crowd or a young hipster type crowd who enjoy foreign films. I have read the novella Tarantula that this is supposedly loosely based on, however I found that it followed the novel extremely closely, I thought a lot of the twists and stuff that were in the book would be taken out if the film but thankfully most are present and accounted for.

Antonio Banderas is so terrific as the leading man, he hasn't looked this great in screen in a long time, I think he seems more at home in his native language, and Elena Anaya is absolutely radiant on the big screen, her face just lights up the screen and she is absolutely exceptional in a very strange role. The story is really a bizarre one, it's seems like a less perverted De Sade and a more understandable David Lynch, it always takes you by surprise and it is highly original and also somewhat daring I think, and thank god a director like Almodovar decided to film it and not some silly director.

The cinematography and music is beautiful, the colours and textures in the film are picked up beautifully by the camera and the music is a great companion to each scene, it's so close to perfection in the production design department that i would go so far to say as I haven't seen a better looking film this year.

This movie is in my opinion the least accessible of all of Almodovar's films but I hope it doesn't put people off, as his touch and style is clear and present here. It's very different, strange, perverted, horrific, beautiful and always entertaining.

Enjoy :)