‘The Room Next Door’ director Pedro Almodóvar makes passionate climate change, immigration cry in Venice: “We have to pay greater attention”

Pedro Almodóvar made a passionate call for greater action on climate change today in Venice, saying “we have to pay greater attention” to fix the environmental crisis.

Speaking at the press conference for his Venice Competition title The Room Next Door, Almodóvar switched from speaking in English to his native Spanish for the address, which he began by calling out the “hatred speech” of politicians in Spain and abroad.

“We all have problems – in Spain [included] with immigration and although in the movie we discussed a personal case, I’d like to talk about these children who are not accompanied, not supported when they try to reach our borders,” said the filmmaker.

“The government sends the navy to stop them from entering our countries and this is crazy, so unjust. What I am suggesting is the reverse – that we should do something in the complex world we are living in, a world that is full of dangers. Climate change is not something neglectable, we have to pay greater attention.”

The Room Next Door follows two close friends who reconnect after years apart, as one of them is handling a severe health situation. “The movie focuses on a woman who is dying in a world that is dying itself,” said Almodóvar. “Each one of us, we should express ourselves, express our rejection for this negationist approach. We have to have the courage to do so in the environment we live in – in our working places, we have to stop this denying of the danger, that the planet is in danger, but we can run a greater risk by continuing to deny this.”

The film deals with the topic of euthanasia, with Almodóvar also calling for greater access to it worldwide. “We have a law in Spain on euthanasia [a Spanish court passed a law legalising the practice in 2021]. It should be possible to have all over the world. It should be regulated; the opinion of the doctor should suffice.”

Almodóvar was joined by his two lead cast, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.” I think of this film as a love story between Ingrid [Moore’s character] and Martha [Swinton’s] – that essential friendship that is hopefully in the heart of all love,” said Swinton.

John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola and Esther McGregor – daughter of Ewan McGregor – all play supporting roles. The film is adapted from a section of Sigrid Nunez’s novel What Are You Going Through. 

Almodóvar began the conference by discussing his decision to make a first English-language project, after more than three decades working in Spanish. “For me it’s like starting a new genre, a movie in English,” said the filmmaker. “I needed to have the right vehicle to do it, and I found it in the middle of the pages of What Are You Going Through.

“I thought I would have more problems, as the language is very awkward – it was not a problem. [Swinton and Moore] understood exactly the tone I wanted to tell this story – more austere, emotional but not melodramatic at all.”

The film has its world premiere in Competition this evening on the Lido; Sony Pictures Classics has US rights, with Warner Bros releasing in many international territories including UK-Ireland.

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