Almodovar’s ‘The Room Next Door’ wins top prize at Venice Film Festival

"The Room Next Door", Pedro Almodovar’s English-language debut starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, won the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion award Saturday. The Spanish director said dying with dignity should be a "fundamental right" as he accepted the award for his end-of-life drama.

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for "The Room Next Door", while France's Vincent Lindon and Australian star Nicole Kidman took the top acting prizes.

This was Almodovar's first English-language feature, and his Golden Lion comes five years after he won a career achievement award at the festival. The film stars Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore.

Kidman won her award playing a lusty, unfulfilled CEO embarking on a torrid affair with an intern in "Babygirl". But she was unable to collect her award following the sudden death of her mother.

"The collision of life and art is heartbreaking and my heart is broken," said the Australian actress in a statement read on her behalf by the film's Dutch director, Halina Reijn.

"I'm in shock, and I have to go to my family. But this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me," she said.

French veteran actor Vincent Lindon won the festival's best actor award for "The Quiet Son."

Over his 40-year-career, the Cannes-winning Lindon has often gravitated towards films with social themes, playing flawed working-class men roused to fight injustices.

Star-studded festival

The films at this year's festival did not shy away from difficult subject matter, whether contemporary or historical.

(AFP)

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