Tilda Swinton was the guest of honor at Chanel dinner’s last night in Venice, held at Harry’s Bar, whose legendary banquettes have seen countless movie stars and jet setters gossiping and let loose over Bellinis and succulent meringata cakes.
Looking ethereal in a flowing pale pink chiffon dress from the Paris Deauville collection, the actress and Chanel ambassador touched down in Venice to promote The Room Next Door by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, one of the most anticipated films of the 81st Venice Biennale, where she stars alongside Julianne Moore. The plot, which promises to be controversial, has been kept mostly under wrap until it premiered tonight. Swinton is Martha, a war correspondent with a difficult relationship with her resentful daughter; Moore plays Ingrid, a novelist. They were friends in their youth, and after years of being out of touch, they reconnect again in extreme but strangely sweet circumstances.
“It’s a movie about the bond of friendship, about understanding what that bond truly is, and what you’ll do for each other because of it,” explained Swinton, without revealing much of the synopsis. She shared that in recent years, she’s been experiencing something similar herself. “I don’t know if it’s a stage of life, but I’m reconnecting with people I haven’t seen in twenty, maybe thirty years. It’s an absolute grace in my life to rediscover that closeness, to catch up on everything that’s happened in our lives. It’s wonderful; it shows that the bond is much greater than time. It’s magical, and ultimately quite mysterious.”
Swinton described the film as “a meditation on life, made with a profound sense of authenticity and real love from all of us.” She praised working with Almodóvar, calling it a masterclass, as it was the director’s first time making a feature film in English. “I’m in awe of what he’s managed to achieve at this stage of his life. The consistency of his energy is miraculous, truly extraordinary.”
When asked if she still enjoys acting, Swinton admitted, “I’ve never really enjoyed being an actress; I try to distract myself from it. I suppose acting involves a kind of psychopathy—it requires a certain porousness. Ultimately, I believe it’s an opportunity to make something good out of that porous quality, which otherwise could be quite stressful. Acting isn’t something I think about; I didn’t study it or read about it, so every film feels like my first—and every film feels like my last. I’m always trying to escape, but when I’m drawn back in by a subject or a relationship, it always feels like something new. That’s my way of avoiding boredom or fatigue, because I always intend to stop—until the next movie, obviously.”