Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door Wins Golden Lion at Venice
Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door has won the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival, marking a triumphant debut for the Spanish director’s first English-language film. Tackling powerful themes such as euthanasia and the climate crisis, The Room Next Door captivated audiences with its emotional depth, starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore. The film received an 18-minute standing ovation at its premiere, highlighting Almodóvar’s continued influence on the global cinema landscape.
Known for his bold and often irreverent storytelling, Almodóvar has long been a favourite on the festival circuit. The 74-year-old director, who won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film with All About My Mother in 1999, described making The Room Next Door in English as a surreal experience akin to science fiction. Speaking before the premiere, Almodóvar emphasised that the film is not just a story about the end of life but a celebration of dignity and personal choice, particularly criticising countries like the US where euthanasia remains illegal.
While The Room Next Door was widely expected to win, the Silver Lion runner-up award went to Italian director Maura Delpero for Vermiglio, a slow-paced drama set in the Italian Alps during the Second World War. Nicole Kidman won Best Actress for her daring role in Babygirl, where she plays a CEO caught in a toxic affair. Meanwhile, France’s Vincent Lindon took home Best Actor for his role in The Quiet Son, a film exploring the impacts of extreme-right radicalism on a family.
The Best Director award went to American filmmaker Brady Corbet for The Brutalist, an epic tale of a Hungarian Holocaust survivor rebuilding his life in the US. The Venice Film Festival, often a predictor of future Oscar success, has once again set the stage for the upcoming awards season, with The Room Next Door likely to remain a strong contender.
The prize for Best Screenplay went to Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega for I’m Still Here, a film about Brazil’s military dictatorship, while the Special Jury Award went to April, a compelling abortion drama by Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili. Despite critical acclaim, films like Joker: Folie à Deux and Maria, starring Angelina Jolie as soprano Maria Callas, left the festival without any awards.
Main Award Winners
- Golden Lion for best picture The Room Next Door
- Silver Lion (runner-up prize) Vermiglio
- Best director Brady Corbet for The Brutalist
- Best actressNicole Kidman for Babygirl
- Best actor Vincent Lindon for The Quiet Son
- Best screenplay Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega for I’m Still Here
- Special jury award April by Dea Kulumbegashvili
- Best young actor Paul Kircher for And Their Children After Them
This year’s Venice jury, headed by French actor Isabelle Huppert, showcased an impressive range of films, setting a high standard for the awards season ahead. For Almodóvar, The Room Next Door is not just a film but a bold statement on personal rights, further cementing his legacy as a filmmaker unafraid to tackle complex and often controversial subjects.
The Venice Film Festival, often seen as a launchpad for Oscar hopefuls, showcased an impressive lineup this year. For more details on the event and a full list of winners, you can visit the official Venice Film Festival website.
