Pedro Almodóvar on the ending of The Room Next Door, Tilda Swinton, Zendaya and his next film

For fans of Pedro Almodóvar – the director best known for vibrant, colorful films with melodramatic characters and wild storylines – his latest Venice-winning film The room next doorcould feel like a departure. Compared to previous works, the Spanish filmmaker's first full-length English-language feature is a relatively subdued affair that revolves around a dark theme: death. But if you look closely, the 75-year-old's new film is as Almodóvarean as ever, from poetic dialogue (at one point that of James Joyce). The dead is quoted), to its electric hues.

Lots based on What are you going through, the novel by Sigrid Nunez from 2019, The room next door The film stars Tilda Swinton (in a Golden Globe-nominated performance) as a successful war correspondent living alone in New York City. Her estranged daughter Michelle is somewhere off-screen. When Martha learns that she has terminal cancer, she turns to an old man Paper Magazine colleague Ingrid (Julianne Moore) is supposed to help her die on her own terms: peacefully, with the help of a dark, Internet-sourced euthanasia pill, in a rented house in Tony's hinterland. Although Ingrid wrestles with the ethical (and legal) implications of helping Martha end her life, she ultimately agrees—and changes in the process.

In addition to exploring mortality, friendship, and the regrets we accumulate in life, The room next door it's also about motherhood. After Martha dies, her daughter – played by Swinton himself – visits Ingrid, suggesting a form of generational reincarnation. For Almodóvar, the story is part of a clear guide through his work, in which women's stories have always been at the forefront. Below, the director shares his thoughts on color theory, plans for his next film, and the deeper meaning behind it The room next door'S End:

Why did you want to make your first English feature film after 22 films?

It was simply because the story required it. Sigrid's novel really captivated me and the characters are American, so they should speak English. Previously we were preparing a production with Cate Blanchett, but she was busy filming a series with Alfonso Cuarón. If I find a story for Cate, Tilda or Julianne, I'll do it, but it always depends on the story. I have already written the script for the film and it will be in Spanish.

Have you written? The room next door with Tilda and Julianne in mind?

Tilda, definitely. After manufacturing The human voicewe have developed a wonderful relationship. There was instant chemistry between us. Because Tilda is so physically special, I wanted someone completely different for Ingrid, so Julianne was perfect.

You made the short films The human voice And Strange way of life in English, but some English-speaking viewers will hear your lyrics clearly for the first time here.

I know that the way I write dialogue isn't exactly realistic. The people don't speak Spanish like they do in my films. I didn't want to change my identity as a writer. I wanted to keep the same taste.

You worked with Oscar-nominated costume designer Bina Daigeler on this film, and although the themes are dark, the film is still filled with your signature bright colors.

I didn't want the film to be overly sentimental or cheesy, but I found that I really couldn't change my color palette. Take the color red, which is so important in my films – there is a red lamp, the red door, the red lipstick. The colors are meant to represent Tilda's past, because before she became ill she was a very baroque woman. They represent this aspect of their life and vitality. She decides to provide euthanasia. She wants to be the owner of her life And her death. I didn't want to make a dark film. I wanted a light film about mortality.

Why were you drawn to this topic?

I think about mortality almost every day. This is something I'm very worried about. I ask myself: How many films will I make? I want to continue making films for the rest of my life. So how many years are ahead of me?

Spain is a non-denominational country, but in reality it is Catholic. I was raised with a very strict Catholic upbringing, but I don't believe in that God. I would really like to do that, but faith is a gift. It's not something you can create yourself. And no one gave me this gift. Therefore, I don't have a very clear idea of ​​life after death. This does not mean that I am not a spiritual person and that I do not experience spirituality in my relationships and my life. But it gives me a very clear sense of finality. And in many ways, like Julianne's character, I have a certain fear of death. The film is very spiritual. When they go to the house in the woods, I photographed them as if they were ghosts moving through that space.

You published a collection of essays this fall, The last dreamand the title story is about your mother's death. At one point you write: “My mother said goodbye to this world exactly as she would have wanted.” Were you thinking about her when you made this film?

One of the things my mother's death taught me was that a person's spirit remains intact when they leave. It remains. I feel her presence and that is a relief for me. In the film, Martha doesn't completely disappear. In Julianne's final scene with the police officer you can see that she is much stronger. She inherited this strength from Martha, which now lives on within her. It's a transference. Now Ingrid can share these stories with Michelle, Martha's daughter. It's almost like another movie is starting at the end.

Speaking of which, what's next?

The next film I'm making is also about the female universe. Some women are alone, some are bad together. It's about self-fiction and the fine line between writing your own story and writing stories that don't belong to you and that reveal too much about the people around you.

You mentioned wanting to work with Zendaya. Maybe a role for her?

I would love to work with Zendaya. She is a great actress who has been underrated. I also made this comment because of her stylist's work [Law Roach]during the promotion of Dune: Two. I mean, he thought of Thierry Mugler in the '90s – I knew Thierry back then – and went into the archives and found this particular metal band. It was perfect for her. That impressed me quite a bit. It's fashion, but there's a lot of work behind it.

The room next door runs in select US theaters from December 20th before a wider release in January 2025.