Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language feature film, ‘The Room Next Door’, made a spectacular debut at the 81st Venice Film Festival, receiving an unprecedented 18-minute and 36-second standing ovation. The film, starring Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, explores the rekindled friendship between two women facing a terminal cancer diagnosis.Moore, 63, captivated the red carpet in a dazzling gold sequin dress, while Swinton, also 63, opted for a quirky light grey ensemble. Almodóvar himself made a striking appearance in a pink suit with a large golden feather in his lapel.The film, adapted from Sigrid Nunez’s novel ‘What Are You Going Through’, delves into themes of friendship, mortality, and euthanasia. Almodóvar described it as ‘a melancholic reflection on death, friendship, motherhood, and the right to euthanasia’. Moore praised Almodóvar’s unique perspective on female friendship, stating, ‘I don’t know that there’s another filmmaker in the world who would do that’.’The Room Next Door’ has already secured a North American distribution deal with Sony Pictures Classics and is set for a theatrical release on December 20. It will also be featured as the Centerpiece selection at the 62nd New York Film Festival on October 4.While the film has received overwhelmingly positive reactions at Venice, some critics have noted challenges with the English-language dialogue and structure. Nevertheless, the extraordinary ovation and the star power of Moore and Swinton have solidified ‘The Room Next Door’ as a significant contender in this year’s festival circuit.
Key points
- Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘The Room Next Door’ received an 18-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival.
- The film, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, explores themes of friendship, mortality, and euthanasia.
- ‘The Room Next Door’ is Almodóvar’s first English-language feature film.
- The film will be released in theaters on December 20 and featured at the New York Film Festival.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported length of the standing ovation, with some sources citing 17 minutes and others 18 minutes and 36 seconds.
