Pedro Almodóvar’s short film Strange Way Of Life is to world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
The Oscar-winning Spanish filmmaker and lead actors Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal will attend the festival, which runs May 16-27. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Almodóvar and the filmmaking team.
The Western, shot in the south of Spain, marks the filmmaker’s second English-language project after short The Human Voice, which premiered at Venice in 2020.
Strange Way Of Life centres on Silva (Pascal), who rides a horse across the desert to reunite with his old friend Jake, a sheriff, after 25 years. But after celebrating, Jake reveals the reason for his arrival is not about revisiting old memories.
“I must say no more so as not to give away all the surprises of the script,” said Almodovar, who also wrote the script. “The strange way of life referred in the title alludes to the famous fado by Amalia Rodrigues, whose lyrics suggest that there is no stranger existence than the one that is lived by turning your back on your own desires.”
Produced by by Agustín Almodóvar at El Deseo, the short is executive produced by Esther García, while Bárbara Peiró, Diego Pajuelo and Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello serve as associate producers.
The cast also includes Pedro Casablanc, Manu Ríos, George Steane, José Condessa, Jason Fernández, Sara Sálamo, Ohiana Cueto, Daniela Medina.
Almodóvar has been in Competition at Cannes six times, winning best director with All About My Mother, which was the first of these to make the festival’s Official Selection in 1999.
In 2004, Bad Education was screened as Cannes’ opening film (out of competition), a first for a Spanish feature. The filmmaker went on to receive the best screenplay award in 2006 for Volver. As president of Cannes’ jury in 2017, he awarded the Palme d’Or to Ruben Östlund’s The Square. Two years later, he presented Pain And Glory in Competition, winning Antonio Banderas’ the best actor prize.
Strange Way Of Life is the latest title to be revealed ahead of Cannes announcing the Official Selection for its 76th edition on Thursday (April 13).
As previously announced, the world premiere of Jeanne du Barry, directed by Maïwenn and starring Johnny Depp, will open the festival on May 16.
Two further features have already been confirmed for the festival: Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone; and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny with Harrison Ford.
Ostlund will preside over this year’s Competition jury, having won his second Palme d’Or last year with Triangle Of Sadness.
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