Venice Film Festival 2024: Pedro Almodóvar wins 81st edition’s Golden Lion

The 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival has come to a close, and after 11 vibrant and humid days, this year’s Competition jury led by Isabelle Huppert has awarded the coveted Best Film Golden Lion to Pedro Almodóvar and his film The Room Next Door.

The film succeeds last year’s Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, and was a favourite amongst the 21 films in Competition this year on the Lido.

Scroll down for the full list of winners. 

The Room Next Door is the celebrated Spanish director’s 23rd film but his first full-length project in English. Based on Sigrid Nunez’s novel "What Are You Going Through", it follows two friends (Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton) who rekindle their friendship. It turns out that one of them has been diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer. After reconnecting with her friend, she asks for a favour... And a big one at that: to be in the titular next room when she takes a euthanasia pill and ends her life with dignity. Read our full review here.

Almodóvar dedicated the Golden Lion to his two stars and stated that the prize belonged to them. He previously called for greater access to euthanasia worldwide, and stated during the press conference: “We have a law in Spain on euthanasia. It should be possible to have all over the world. It should be regulated and the doctor should be allowed to help his patient.”

“This movie is in favour of euthanasia,” continued the director, and adding while accepting his prize that the film isn’t political but humanist.

As of 2024, euthanasia is legal in only four countries in Europe: Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain – with the law in Portugal yet in force and awaiting regulation.

The Room Next Door is Almodóvar’s follow-up to 2021’s Parallel Mothers, which also premiered at the Venice Film Festival and won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for Penélope Cruz. The director previously received the festival’s lifetime achievement award in 2019.

Considering Venice has a proven track record for premiering future Oscar contenders (since 2014, they’ve hosted four best picture winners - Birdman, Spotlight, The Shape of Water and Nomadland - and 19 nominees), you can expect The Room Next Door to be an