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Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton captivated the Venice Film Festival on Monday night with the premiere of Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door. The film drew an incredible 17-minute standing ovation, marking the longest applause of the 2024 edition to date.
At the film’s end, Pedro Almodóvar celebrated by kissing Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton on the cheeks and lifting their arms like boxing champions.He extended the ovation by shaking hands with fans while descending the stairs with his new muses. Swinton, in a white Chanel suit, embraced Moore, who wore a glittering gold gown. Moore appeared emotional as Almodóvar, dressed in a cotton-candy pink suit, basked in the crowd’s chants of “Pedro! Pedro! Pedro!”
Amid the rapturous applause, Pedro Almodóvar personally waved to each fan in the Sala Grande theater. He clapped along as Julianne Moore held onto his arm. As the ovation continued, Almodóvar extended it further by sprinting down the stairs from the balcony to sign autographs and take selfies. Meanwhile, Moore and Tilda Swinton giggled, trying to time their exit from the theater.
The applause for The Room Next Door has surpassed other major standing ovations at the festival: Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist (12 minutes), Pablo Larrain’s Maria (eight minutes), starring Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas, and Justin Kurzel’s The Order (seven minutes), featuring Jude Law.
Almodóvar’s first English-language film premiered on a night in Venice when a sweltering heat wave momentarily eased. On the red carpet, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, holding hands, posed for photos in the light drizzle while paparazzi called out their names.
The Room Next Door features Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton as Ingrid and Martha, former friends who once worked together at a New York magazine. Ingrid, now a best-selling author, reconnects with Martha as she faces advanced cancer. True to Almodóvar’s style, the film includes signature plot twists, with the women’s vibrant, meticulously lit apartments feeling more Madrid than Manhattan.
Julianne Moore has been a prominent figure at the Venice Film Festival over the years. She attended for Robert Altman’s 1993 drama Short Cuts, which won best ensemble; Todd Haynes’ 2002 film Far From Heaven, earning her the best actress prize; Tom Ford’s 2009 directorial debut A Single Man; George Clooney’s Suburbicon in 2017; and served as jury president in 2022.
Tilda Swinton, a Venice best actress winner for her role in Edward II (1991), was also at the festival with Julianne Moore in 2009 for the premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s I Am Love. In 2020, she was honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
The Room Next Door is Pedro Almodóvar’s follow-up to Parallel Mothers (2021), which premiered at Venice and earned Penelope Cruz the best actress Volpi Cup. Almodóvar has previously premiered several notable works at Venice, including Dark Habits (1983), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), which won best screenplay, and the 2020 short film The Human Voice starring Tilda Swinton. He was honored with the festival’s lifetime achievement award in 2019.
At the film’s end, Pedro Almodóvar celebrated by kissing Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton on the cheeks and lifting their arms like boxing champions.He extended the ovation by shaking hands with fans while descending the stairs with his new muses. Swinton, in a white Chanel suit, embraced Moore, who wore a glittering gold gown. Moore appeared emotional as Almodóvar, dressed in a cotton-candy pink suit, basked in the crowd’s chants of “Pedro! Pedro! Pedro!”
Amid the rapturous applause, Pedro Almodóvar personally waved to each fan in the Sala Grande theater. He clapped along as Julianne Moore held onto his arm. As the ovation continued, Almodóvar extended it further by sprinting down the stairs from the balcony to sign autographs and take selfies. Meanwhile, Moore and Tilda Swinton giggled, trying to time their exit from the theater.
The applause for The Room Next Door has surpassed other major standing ovations at the festival: Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist (12 minutes), Pablo Larrain’s Maria (eight minutes), starring Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas, and Justin Kurzel’s The Order (seven minutes), featuring Jude Law.
Almodóvar’s first English-language film premiered on a night in Venice when a sweltering heat wave momentarily eased. On the red carpet, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, holding hands, posed for photos in the light drizzle while paparazzi called out their names.
The Room Next Door features Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton as Ingrid and Martha, former friends who once worked together at a New York magazine. Ingrid, now a best-selling author, reconnects with Martha as she faces advanced cancer. True to Almodóvar’s style, the film includes signature plot twists, with the women’s vibrant, meticulously lit apartments feeling more Madrid than Manhattan.
Julianne Moore has been a prominent figure at the Venice Film Festival over the years. She attended for Robert Altman’s 1993 drama Short Cuts, which won best ensemble; Todd Haynes’ 2002 film Far From Heaven, earning her the best actress prize; Tom Ford’s 2009 directorial debut A Single Man; George Clooney’s Suburbicon in 2017; and served as jury president in 2022.
Tilda Swinton, a Venice best actress winner for her role in Edward II (1991), was also at the festival with Julianne Moore in 2009 for the premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s I Am Love. In 2020, she was honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
The Room Next Door is Pedro Almodóvar’s follow-up to Parallel Mothers (2021), which premiered at Venice and earned Penelope Cruz the best actress Volpi Cup. Almodóvar has previously premiered several notable works at Venice, including Dark Habits (1983), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), which won best screenplay, and the 2020 short film The Human Voice starring Tilda Swinton. He was honored with the festival’s lifetime achievement award in 2019.
