Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door” has been tapped as the Centerpiece selection for the 62ndNew York Film Festival. The comedic drama, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, will make its U.S. premiere at Alice Tully Hall on Oct. 4.
“The Room Next Door” is Almodóvar’s first English-language feature film. The director has described the New York-set movie as a story “about a very imperfect mother and her resentful daughter, who live separate lives because of a profound misunderstanding.” Swinton plays Martha, the “imperfect mother” and war journalist, while Moore plays a best-selling writer, Ingrid, who rekindles her relationship with Martha after losing touch for a number of years. Sony Pictures Classics is backing the “The Room Next Door,” which will world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
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“I am delighted that ‘The Room Next Door’ will be the Centerpiece of the New York Film Festival,” Almodóvar said in a statement. “This festival has been my bridge to New York audiences for decades, so it only felt natural that the two protagonists go see a film at the Alice Tully Hall in one of the scenes of the movie. It was very moving for me to shoot in a place that holds so very dear memories to me, and where I hope to keep on treasuring them in a not so distant future.”
“The Room Next Door” marks Almodóvar’s 15th film to play at NYFF, a list that’s included “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” “All about My Mother,” “Pain and Glory” and “Parallel Mothers.” He’s been nominated for several Oscars over the course of his career, winning two for “All about My Mother” (best international feature film) and “Talk to Her” (original screenplay).
“Few filmmakers are as closely associated with the New York Film Festival as Pedro Almodóvar, and it is a true pleasure to present his first English-language feature as this year’s Centerpiece selection,” said Dennis Lim, New York Film Festival’s artistic director. “’The Room Next Door’ is the work of an artist at the height of his powers: a wise, exquisitely acted, achingly beautiful film that feels perfectly calibrated to this moment.”
As previously announced, RaMell Ross’s historical drama “Nickel Boys” will open the 2024 festival while Steve McQueen’s historical drama “Blitz,” starring Saoirse Ronan, was selected as the closing night film.Presented by Film at Lincoln Center, NYFF will take place from Sept. 27 through Oct. 14.
