Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door” won the Golden Lion at the 81st Venice Film Festival. The Spanish auteur’s first feature in English took the top prize at the awards ceremony on Saturday, where he accepted the honor in person. Based on Sigrid Nunez’s novel “What Are You Going Through,” the film stars Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore as friends who reunite after several years.
Though Almodóvar’s latest was not reviewed as enthusiastically as most of his films (a high bar to cross), the drama was still favored to do well at the Venice awards. When it premiered earlier this week, it was met with a lengthy standing ovation of almost 20 minutes — a warm reception even for festival audiences. And few are the cinephiles in Europe who do not consider the director of “All About My Mother,” “Talk to Her,” “Volver,” “Bad Education” and “Parallel Mothers” a living great.
Winners in the competition category were chosen by the jury headed by Isabelle Huppert. “Vermiglio,” from director Maura Delepero, took the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, while Brady Corbet won the Silver Lion for Best Director for “The Brutalist,” Dea Kulumbegashvili won the Special Jury Prize for “April” and Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega won Best Screenplay for the Walter Salles film “I’m Still Here.” The Volpi Cups for best actor and actress went to Vincent Lindon for “The Quiet Son” and Nicole Kidman for “Babygirl,” respectively. (Kidman was not able to attend due to her mother’s death, so director Halina Reijn read a statement on the actress’ behalf.)
Among the higher profile contenders in the competition category that went home empty-handed was Pablo Larraín’s “Maria,” starring Angelina Jolie as the legendary opera diva Maria Callas. Largely well reviewed, the film was considered a return to form for Jolie as an actress, whose last on-screen performance was in 2021’s “Eternals.” Likewise, Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer,” a period drama based on a William S. Burroughs novel starring Daniel Craig, ended up trophy-less. So did Todd Phillips’ “Joker: Folie à Deux,” although that was less surprising a showing, given the film’s tepid reception from critics.
In the Horizons category, chosen by a jury headed by Debra Granik, winners included “The New Year That Never Came” (Best Film), Sarah Friedland (Best Director, “Familiar Touch”), Francesco Gheghi, (Best Actor, “Familia”), Kathleen Chalfant (Best Actress, “Familiar Touch”) and Scandar Copti’s “Happy Holidays” screenplay.
The 90-minute ceremony kept a pleasantly brisk pace, kicking off with Venice Immersive, followed by Venice Classics, where Nanni Moretti’s “Ecce Bombo” won Best Restored Film and Alexandre O. Philippe’s “Chain Reaction,” about the influence of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” on five filmmakers, took home Best Documentary on Cinema. The Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Feature also went to Friedland’s “Familiar Touch.”
See below for the complete list of winners.
Winners of the 81st Venice Film Festival Awards
COMPETITION
Golden Lion for Best Film “The Room Next Door,” Pedro Almodóvar
Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize “Vermiglio,” Maura Delepero
Silver Lion for Best Director Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”
Special Jury Prize “April,” Dea Kulumbegashvili
Best Screenplay Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega, “Ainda Estou Aqui” (“I’m Still Here”)
Volpi Cup for Best Actress Nicole Kidman, “Babygirl”
Volpi Cup for Best Actor Vincent Lindon, “Jouer avec le feu” (“The Quiet Son”)
Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor Paul Kircher, “Leurs enfants après eux”
HORIZONS
Best Film “The New Year That Never Came,” Bogdan Muresanu
Best Director Sarah Friedland, “Familiar Touch”
Special Jury Prize “One of Those Days When Hemme Dies,” Murat Firatoglu
Best Actress Kathleen Chalfant, “Familiar Touch”
Best Actor Francesco Gheghi, “Familia”
Best Screenplay “Happy Holidays,” Scandar Copti
Best Short Film “Who Loves the Sun,” Arshia Shakiba
LION OF THE FUTURE
Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Feature “Familiar Touch,” Sarah Friedland
HORIZONS EXTRA
Audience Award — Armani Beauty “Shahed (The Witness),” Nader Saeivar
VENICE CLASSICS
Best Documentary on Cinema “Chain Reactions,” Alexandre O. Philippe
Best Restored Film “Ecce Bombo,” Nanni Moretti
VENICE IMMERSIVE
Grand Jury Prize “Ito Meikyu,” Boris Labbé
Special Jury Prize “Oto’s Planet,” Gwenael François
Achievement Prize “Impulse: Playing With Reality,” Barry Gene Murphy, May Abdalla
GIORNATE DEGLI AUTORI (previously announced)
GdA Director’s Award “Manas,” Marianna Brennand
Audience Award “Taxi Monamour,” Ciro De Caro
Europa Cinemas Label Award “Alpha,” Jan-Willem van Ewijk
CRITICS’ WEEK (previously announced)
Grand Prize “Don’t Cry, Butterfly,” Dương Diệu Linh
Special Mention “No Sleep Till,” Alexandra Simpson
Audience Award “Paul & Paulette Take a Bath” Jethro Massey
Verona Film Club Award for Most Innovative Film “Don’t Cry, Butterfly,” Dương Diệu Linh
Mario Serandrei – Hotel Saturnia Award for Best Technical Contribution “Homegrown,” Michael Premo
Best Short Film “Things That My Best Friend Lost,” Marta Innocenti
Best Director (Short Film) “Nero Argento,” Francesco Manzato
Best Technical Contribution (Short Film) “At Least I Will Be 8 294 400 Pixel,” Marco Talarico
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