The Room Next Door’ secures Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion award

Pedro Almodovar's film ‘The Room Next Door’ receives rave reviews and a historic 18 min standing ovation.

The pro-euthanasia film The Room Next Door has clinched the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival. The film, directed by Pedro Almodovar and starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, was honoured as the best film of the festival on Saturday.

The feature, which explores themes of euthanasia and human dignity, received an 18-minute standing ovation upon its premiere earlier in the week, marking one of the longest in recent festival history. Almodovar, 74, expressed his belief in the right to die with dignity in his acceptance speech. “I believe that saying goodbye to this world cleanly and with dignity is a fundamental right of every human being,” he said.

The film portrays Swinton as a war correspondent with terminal cancer who asks her friend, played by Moore, to assist her in ending her life. Almodovar emphasised that the film is not a political statement but a humanitarian one. “It is not a political issue, but a human issue,” he said. This is Almodovar’s first feature film in English.

In her role, Moore received high praise, and Almodovar acknowledged her and Swinton’s contributions. “This award really belongs to them,” he noted.

Isabelle Huppert, president of the jury, lauded the film for its thoughtful treatment of significant issues. “The Room Next Door” is expected to be a major topic of discussion throughout the awards season.

The festival’s closing night also saw Nicole Kidman receive the best actress award for her role in Babygirl. Kidman was unable to attend the ceremony due to the death of her mother. In a statement read on her behalf, Kidman dedicated the award to her late mother, expressing her profound grief.

Vincent Lindon won best actor for The Quiet Son, a French film about a family affected by extreme-right radicalism. Brady Corbet received the best director award for The Brutalist, which follows a Hungarian architect rebuilding his life in the US.

Despite high expectations, films Queer, starring Daniel Craig, and Maria, featuring Angelina Jolie, did not win any awards. The Venice Film Festival marks the beginning of the awards season, setting the stage for future accolades.