Almodóvar's "Bitter Christmas" is competing alongside films by five female directors, artistic director Thierry Frémaux said at Thursday's press conference. However, last year six films were directed by women.
The competition section also includes "Fjord" by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, about a Romanian-Norwegian couple who move to the Norwegian wife's hometown. The female lead is played by Norwegian Renate Reinsve, who starred in "Sentimental Value".
Among the other competitors are exiled Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev's film "Minotaur", "Garance" by French director Jeanne Herry, and "Parallel Stories" by exiled Iranian director Asghar Farhadi.
This year's festival begins on May 12 and ends on May 23.
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