Pedro Almodovar Autographed Picture

He is the most successful and internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation, the Spanish Steven Spielberg, if you will. Except his films are funnier, more dramatic, realer and more dynamic than Spielberg's. As a matter of fact, he's closer, in tone, to Robert Rodriguez, with Ridley Scott's knack for creating powerful female roles in his films.

While he has won many awards himself, his films also usually gather awards for acting, cinematography, and many behind-the-scenes categories. Among his own awards are 2 Academy Awards (Best Screenplay, 2003, and Best Foreign-Language Film, 1999; he has 3 nominations in total); 2 Argentinian Film Critics Association Awards (4 nominations); 3 BAFTA Awards, the British Oscars (9 nominations); 2/2 at the Bangkok International Film Festival; 1 Berlin International Film Award (out of 2 nominations); 2 Bodil Awards (3 nominations); 2/4 at the Bogota Film Festival; 3/6 at the Cannes Film Festival; 2/5 at Spain's Cinema Writers' Circle Awards; 1/2 Czech Lions; 3/6 plus an additional honorary trophy at France's Césars; 2/4 at David di Donatello Awards; 6 European Film Awards (an unbelievable 13 nominations in total!); 3/3 at Fotogramas De Plata; 2 of 2 with the French Syndicate Of Cinema Critics; 2/2 at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival; 3/11 at the Goya Awards; a staggering 4-for-4 in four different years at the Italian National Syndicate Of Film Journalists awards; 3/3 at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards; a Lumière Award in France; 1/2 at the Polish Film Awards; 2/3 at the Premios ACE; 2/2 at the San Sebastian International Film Festival; 5/5 plus a special career award at the Saint Jordi Awards; and they even invented a special prize just for him at the National Society Of Film Critics Awards. Plus a slew of other film festival awards, including one in Toronto.

And this legend among legends, Pedro Almodovar, sent me this personalized autographed picture wishing me luck both in English (''Good luck'') and Spanish (''Suerte''), back when I was still a promising filmmaker who finished at the top of my class and was making a mock-documentary about my music career, which, ironically, has now become my main career. It's one of my most cherished collectibles.