The 81st Venice Film Festival has drawn to a close events ending in a triumphant Golden Lion win for Pedro Almodóvar. The festival’s Competition jury, led by Isabelle Huppert, awarded the prestigious Golden Lion for Best Film to Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door.
The Spanish director’s film, a standout among the 21 entries, takes over from last year’s winner, Poor Things by Yorgos Lanthimos.
Almodóvar’s 23rd film and his first in English, is based on Sigrid Nunez’s novel What Are You Going Through. It follows two friends, played by Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, who renew their bond after one is diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer. The dying woman asks her friend for a significant favour: to be present in the next room when she takes a euthanasia pill, seeking to die with dignity.
Accepting the Golden Lion, Almodóvar dedicated the award to his leading actors, crediting them with the film’s success. During the press conference, he also made a passionate plea for more widespread access to euthanasia, saying: “We have a law in Spain on euthanasia. It should be possible to have all over the world. It should be regulated, and the doctor should be allowed to help his patient.” He added that while the movie is “in favour of euthanasia,” it is not a political statement but a humanist one.
As of 2024, only Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Spain have legalised euthanasia in Europe. Portugal has approved the law, but it remains unenforced and is awaiting regulation.
The Room Next Door marks Almodóvar’s return to Venice after his 2021 film Parallel Mothers, which earned Penélope Cruz the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. Almodóvar also received Venice’s lifetime achievement award in 2019.
Acting awards
In the acting categories, Vincent Lindon won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his role in Jouer Avec Le Feu (The Quiet Son), a French film about a father grappling with his son’s growing involvement in far-right extremism. Although Daniel Craig was tipped to win for his part in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, Lindon’s subtle and powerful performance won over the jury. Lindon gave an emotional acceptance speech, thanking Isabelle Huppert and taking time to greet each jury member personally.
Nicole Kidman won Best Actress for her performance in Babygirl, a drama that explores communication in relationships through a sex-positive lens on BDSM. Kidman, who could not attend due to the recent death of her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, shared her thoughts in a statement read by director Halina Reijn: “I’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her… I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you. The collision of life and art is heartbreaking and my heart is broken.”
