Not every director understands the power and allure of a silver screen diva quite like Pedro Almodóvar. After shooting two short films in English as a warm-up, Almodóvar is ready to make his feature-length English debut at the age of 74, following a career of making films only in Spanish. And there’s no shortage of legendary actresses ready to work with him. The project, titled The Room Next Door, boasts Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore as its leading ladies and is set for an appropriately glamorous premiere at this year’s Venice International Film Festival before an America release on December 20th.
Is There A Trailer For The Room Next Door?
The first teaser trailer for the film was released on August 20th, and while it’s light on plot (the only thing close to dialogue we hear is a pained scream), it’s heavy on Almodóvar’s signature aesthetics: colorful clothes, interiors that split the difference between chic and kitsch, and penetrating facial close-ups. Film buffs, will of course, easily spot the homage to Ingmar Bergman’s Persona (or is it more a homage to David Lynch’s own Persona homage in Mulholland Drive?).
Though Swinton sports her signature blonde coif throughout most of the film, at one point she appears in a wig quite similar to Moore’s auburn locks, perhaps tipping us off a bit more to the plot.
What Is The Room Next Door About?
Almodóvar’s works are often difficult to sum up in a zippy log line. There are plot twists, melodrama, and often some campy detours, but the film will center on Martha (a war correspondent) and Ingrid (an “auto-fiction” novelist). When Martha’s relationship with her daughter becomes strained, it is Ingrid who sees both sides of the quarrel. Almodóvar isn’t too keen to oversimplify the plot ahead of time.
“The film talks about the unlimited cruelty of wars, the two different ways these two writers have of approaching and writing about reality, also about death, and how friendship and sexual pleasure can be the best allies to deal with horror,” he said in a previously released statement. “It also talks about the pleasure of waking up to birds bringing a new day at a house built on a natural reserve in New England, where the two friends live an extraordinary and awkwardly sweet situation.”
Who’s in the Cast of The Room Next Door?
Tilda Swinton, who previously collaborated with Almodóvar on the short film The Human Voice, will play war journalist Martha, while Julianne Moore will play Ingrid, her friend and the novelist.
However, despite speculation and rumors, Anya Taylor-Joy is not attached the project. However, actor John Turturro is officially attached to the project, and the IMDb page claims that actor Alessandro Nivola is as well.
Notably, none of Almódovar’s regular Spanish-language collaborators are involved. Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas are the director’s two most famous frequent collaborators, but his cavalcade of regulars also includes Carmen Maura, Cecilia Roth, Julieta Serrano, and, most iconically, Rossy de Palma.
Is Dua Lipa in the Film?
Dua Lipa, a woman of exquisite taste, loves Almodóvar and has hosted him on her podcast. Almodóvar loves her in return. There have been persistent but unconfirmed rumors that Lipa may feature in an upcoming Almodóvar project. Alas despite some early rumors and reports of Lipa visiting the set, it appears she did not actually film any scenes.
Where Is The Room Next Door Set?
The film has been described variously as set in both New York City and, as the director says, “a house built on a natural reserve in New England.” Filming, however, is currently underway in Madrid, but it’s expected production will eventually shift to NYC.
When Will It Be Released?
The film will premire at the Venice International Film Festival before an American release on December 20th, which, yes, will make it eligible for next year’s Oscar ceremony.
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