The red carpet at the 2024 New York Film Festival just got very real—and not in the usual “oh no, my heel got stuck in the carpet” kind of way. Tilda Swinton, the queen of all things ethereal, and her co-star Julianne Moore, who apparently gets more radiant by the minute, showed up to the premiere of their new movie The Room Next Door—but that wasn’t the real showstopper.
Nope, the real action came later. While Tilda was likely preparing to make everyone feel slightly underdressed just by existing, a protest erupted inside the theater. Yes, you read that right—erupted. But let’s back up a second, because this wasn’t your typical protest involving people throwing popcorn because they’re bored. This was serious stuff. According to Deadline, protesters in the theater decided the post-screening Q&A would be the perfect time to chant in support of Palestine and Lebanon. I mean, if you’re going to make a statement, why not do it in front of Tilda Swinton and Pedro Almodóvar, right?
And who else was there? Oh, you know, just casual co-stars like John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola, and Esther McGregor, all probably thinking, “Is this part of the movie, or…?”
The movie, by the way, isn’t just any ol’ flick. The Room Next Door already bagged the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival, so it’s fancy like that. But even an award-winning movie can’t stop a good ol’ fashioned protest.
As the chanting echoed through the theater, two protesters were waving a banner like they were leading a parade—but a serious one. Lincoln Center’s spokesperson was probably sweating through their blazer at this point but kept it cool, announcing that these individuals were “peacefully escorted out.” Yes, peacefully. As in, “Would you kindly leave so we can talk about this film in peace?” And they did. No flying popcorn, no dramatic exits.
But wait, there’s more! Pedro Almodóvar, the director, wasn’t about to brush this off like a spilled drink at the concession stand. No, no. He actually requested that the protesters be allowed to speak! Imagine that—directors usually yell, “Cut!” but Pedro was all, “Let’s hear them out!” Tilda Swinton, always one to raise the bar on literally everything, praised the protest like she was applauding a piece of modern art. Twitter user Jonathon Catlin, who was probably live-tweeting like his thumbs were on fire, quoted Tilda calling the protest “a dignifying thing for this festival.” Translation: “This is not just another popcorn flick, y’all.”
Tilda didn’t stop there. In her usual poetic fashion, she dropped some wisdom about how these kinds of “uncomfortable interruptions” are necessary. They make us squirm, sure, but that’s the point. And in true Tilda style, she tied it all back to the movie’s theme, saying something along the lines of, “Syria, Beirut, Gaza—they’re all the room next door.” It’s like when your next-door neighbor has a loud argument, but on a global scale. The message? Don’t look away, even if you want to cover your ears.
A movie premiere turned into a thought-provoking protest moment, with Tilda Swinton and Pedro Almodóvar leading the charge of “let’s not pretend this didn’t happen.” And honestly, it sounds like the most dramatic film festival Q&A ever—just without the flying tomatoes.
At the U.S. premiere of “The Room Next Door,” director Pedro Almodovar requests that protestors for Gaza be allowed to speak. Tilda Swinton agrees and calls the protest “a dignifying thing for this festival.” #NYFF62 pic.twitter.com/FwIhDPjkCu
— Jonathon Catlin (@planetdenken) October 5, 2024