The Room Next Door


The Room Next Door is a 2024 Spanish drama film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, in his English-language feature debut, based on the 2020 novel What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez. Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore star with John Turturro and Alessandro Nivola in supporting roles. The plot follows the relationship between two close friends as the former faces the prospect of ending her life due to terminal illness.
The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 81st Venice International Film Festival on 2 September 2024, where it won the Golden Lion, a first for a Spanish film. It was released theatrically in Spain on 18 October 2024 by Warner Bros. Pictures. It won three Goyas at the 39th Goya Awards.

Plot

Ingrid is a successful author who learns that Martha, a friend with whom she once worked at the same magazine, has terminal cancer. They reconnect at the Manhattan hospital where Martha is being treated, and Martha tells Ingrid her life story. In the 1970s, Martha became impregnated by Fred, a young man she had met in college. Fred left to fight in the Vietnam War, returning with PTSD. Fred later left and remarried, leaving Martha's daughter Michelle to constantly ask her mother about Fred's whereabouts as she grew up. Wanting to appease her daughter, Martha reached out to Fred's wife, who informed her that Fred had died trying to save a nonexistent person whose voices he hallucinated from a house fire. Michelle grew resentful of her mother and became estranged. In the present day, Martha has no family, and reveals to Ingrid that she recently bought euthanasia pills so that she could secretly end her life.
Ingrid, though conflicted at first, ultimately comes to terms with Martha's plan and agrees to stay with her during her final moments in a rented country house in Woodstock, New York. Martha tells Ingrid that she will know of her death when her door is closed the following morning. One day, Ingrid wakes up to find Martha's door closed, but quickly discovers that Martha is still alive. Martha tells Ingrid, who is upset by the fear she experienced, that she had opened a window, allowing a breeze to close the door, and adds that the incident could be seen as a practice run for when she truly dies. Despite Martha's explanation, Ingrid remains irritated by the unsettling episode.
Ingrid has lunch with fellow writer Damian, who was once both her and Martha's shared lover and is aware of Martha's plan. He helps hire a lawyer Ingrid can depend on for defense against the police after Martha dies. Ingrid returns home to find Martha dead on a lounge chair outside, with her bedroom door closed. She finds a note from Martha thanking her and asking her to contact Michelle. Ingrid informs the police, and a religious fundamentalist officer questions her claim that she was unaware of Martha's suicide plans. He reveals that they know Martha had asked another friend to join her before she asked Ingrid. Ingrid leaves the interrogation and contacts Damian and the lawyer.
Ingrid gets in touch with Michelle and invites her to the house where Martha died. They lie together on the lounge chairs outside as it snows.

Cast

Production

Almodóvar talked about plans to shoot an English-language film set in New York City on the eve of his trip to the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The title The Room Next Door was advertised in late 2023. In January 2024, El Deseo announced that Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton had been cast in the lead roles with John Turturro as another cast member. Swinton described the film as "a natural successor, strangely, to Pain and Glory". The film is an El Deseo production with the participation of Movistar Plus+. Filming began on 3 March 2024 in Madrid. Alessandro Nivola joined the cast that same month. Shooting locations also included New York City. On 12 June 2024, Juan Diego Botto, Raúl Arévalo, Melina Matthews, and Victoria Luengo were announced as additional cast members. Edu Grau was the film's cinematographer.

Release

Before filming began, Almodóvar's recurring North American distributor Sony Pictures Classics picked up rights to the film in North America, the Middle East, India, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
The film was released in cinemas in Spain on 18 October 2024 by Warner Bros. Pictures. Warner Bros. also acquired distribution rights for the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the Nordics, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and some territories in Asia-Pacific, including Japan. It will be made available on Movistar Plus+ in Spain after its theatrical window.
In July 2024, the film was reportedly likely to premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival; that release was confirmed a week later when the film was announced to be premiering in competition. Alberto Barbera reported that the film was premiering during the festival's second half. The film was also selected for screenings at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival for its North American premiere, and the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival as a 'Donostia Award' screening, as well as for the Centerpiece selection of the 62nd New York Film Festival at the Alice Tully Hall on 4 October 2024.
The film made it to the 'World Cinema' strand of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 for its South Asian premiere on 19 October 2024. It was scheduled to open in New York City and Los Angeles on 20 December 2024 by Sony Pictures Classics, followed by a limited release in select US cities on Christmas Day, and a January 2025 wide US release. In the United States, it is Almodovar's first ever film rated for a general audience; the MPA gave it a PG-13 rating for “thematic content, strong language, and some sexual references”. Pathé released the film in French theatres on 8 January 2025.

Reception

Critical response

of Time wrote that "if it's possible to make a joyful movie about death, Almodóvar has just done it".
Owen Gleiberman of Variety assessed that Swinton "gives a monumental performance", "worthy of comparison to the spirit and virtuosity of Vanessa Redgrave".
Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph lamented that the result of Almodóvar's anglophone feature debut is "depressingly thin".
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, finding it "as extravagant and engrossing and doggedly mysterious as anything has done recently". Also reviewing for The Guardian, Wendy Ide rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, describing it as feeling "emotionally empty".
Monica Castillo of RogerEbert.com rated the film 3 out of 4 stars, declaring it "a heartfelt meditation on friendship, grief, and death".

Accolades

AwardCeremony dateCategoryRecipientResult
Venice International Film Festival7 September 2024Golden LionThe Room Next DoorWon
Venice International Film Festival7 September 2024Brian AwardThe Room Next DoorWon
Hollywood Music in Media Awards20 November 2024Best Original Score – Independent FilmAlberto IglesiasWon
European Film Awards7 December 2024Best European FilmThe Room Next DoorNomitated
European Film Awards7 December 2024Best European DirectorPedro AlmodóvarNomitated
European Film Awards7 December 2024Best European ScreenwriterPedro AlmodóvarNomitated
European Film Awards7 December 2024Best European ActressTilda SwintonNomitated
Golden Globe Awards5 January 2025Best Actress in a Motion Picture – DramaTilda SwintonNomitated
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards8 February 2025Best DirectorPedro AlmodóvarNomitated
Feroz Awards25 January 2025Best Drama FilmThe Room Next DoorNomitated
Feroz Awards25 January 2025Best DirectorPedro AlmodóvarWon
Feroz Awards25 January 2025Best ScreenplayPedro AlmodóvarNomitated
Feroz Awards25 January 2025Best Film PosterJuan Gatti, Nico BustosNomitated
Feroz Awards25 January 2025Best TrailerAlberto LealNomitated
Feroz Awards25 January 2025Best Original SoundtrackAlberto IglesiasWon
Satellite Awards26 January 2025Best Actress in a Motion PictureTilda SwintonNomitated
Satellite Awards26 January 2025Best Adapted ScreenplayPedro AlmodóvarNomitated
Satellite Awards26 January 2025Best Original ScoreAlberto IglesiasNomitated
CEC Medals3 February 2025Best MusicAlberto IglesiasNomitated
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best DirectorPedro AlmodóvarNomitated
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best Adapted ScreenplayPedro AlmodóvarWon
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best ActressJulianne MooreNomitated
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best ActressTilda SwintonNomitated
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best CinematographyEdu GrauWon
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best Original ScoreAlberto IglesiasWon
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best Art DirectionInbal WeinbergNomitated
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best Costume DesignBina DaigelerNomitated
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best Makeup and HairstylesMorag Ross, Manolo GarcíaNomitated
Goya Awards8 February 2025Best SoundSergio Bürmann, Anna Harrington, Marc OrtsNomitated
Actors and Actresses Union Awards10 March 2025Best Film Actor in a Minor RoleJuan Diego BottoNomitated
Actors and Actresses Union Awards10 March 2025Best Film Actress in a Minor RoleVictoria LuengoNomitated
Platino Awards27 April 2025Best DirectorPedro AlmodóvarNomitated
Platino Awards27 April 2025Best Original ScoreAlberto IglesiasWon
Platino Awards27 April 2025Best CinematographyEdu GrauWon
Golden Trailer Awards29 May 2025Best Foreign PosterPathe / Leroy & Rose Nomitated