Oscar winners Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore were radiant at the Venice Film Festival, where their latest film, The Room Next Door, received a remarkable 18-minute standing ovation, the longest of the festival so far. The duo, joined by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, graced the red carpet holding hands, with Pedro Almodóvar standing out in a pink Loewe suit adorned with a golden feather.
Julianne Moore, who dazzled in a golden sequined Bottega Veneta gown, was seen sharing a sweet moment with Tilda Swinton, kissing her on the cheek before wiping away the lipstick mark and signing autographs for enthusiastic fans.
The film’s official Instagram account shared a series of photos featuring Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, and Pedro Almodóvar, celebrating the film’s success. They captioned the post: "The dream team of all dream teams. #TheRoomNextDoor received an 18-minute standing ovation after its world premiere, the longest of the #VeniceFilmFestival so far."
The Room Next Door has eclipsed other major standing ovations at the festival, including those for The Brutalist starring Adrien Brody, Maria featuring Angelina Jolie, and The Order, a crime thriller with Jude Law.
In this highly anticipated film, Julianne Moore portrays Ingrid, a best-selling writer who rekindles a relationship with her old friend Martha, played by Tilda Swinton. Martha, a former war correspondent, has been diagnosed with cancer, adding a poignant layer to their story. The cast also includes Alessandro Nivola, Juan Diego Botto, Raúl Arévalo, Melina Matthews, and Victoria Luengo.
This marks Pedro Almodóvar’s first feature-length film in English, following his 2020 short film The Human Voice, which also starred Swinton and debuted in Venice. The Room Next Door is an adaptation of Sigrid Nunez’s novel What Are You Going Through.
At the Venice press conference, Pedro Almodóvar explained his decision to make a film in English, describing it as a way to "start a new era." He found the perfect vehicle for this transition within the pages of Nunez’s novel. The language barrier was not an issue for Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, whom he described as “a festival of two wonderful actresses” who perfectly captured the tone he sought for the story.
Pedro Almodóvar highlighted the film’s exploration of themes such as euthanasia, the state of the planet, and human evolution. Tilda Swinton described the film as a love story between Ingrid and Martha, while Julianne Moore praised Pedro Almodóvar for focusing on female friendship, particularly between older women—relationships she described as “unsung” but of immense importance.
Warner Bros has acquired the film's distribution rights for several key international markets, including Spain, Italy, the UK, Germany, and Latin America, while Sony Pictures Classics will handle North America, the Middle East, India, and other regions. The film is set for a December 20 domestic release.
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Produced by Pedro Almodóvar’s El Deseo, The Room Next Door was filmed in Madrid and New York with the support of Movistar Plus+. This is Pedro Almodóvar’s first feature-length project since Parallel Mothers (2021), which also debuted in Venice, earning Penelope Cruz the Best Actress Volpi Cup.
Following its Venice debut, the film will be the Centerpiece selection at the 62nd New York Film Festival, further cementing its status as a significant cinematic event.
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