Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language feature film was probably one of the most eagerly anticipated screenings at the Venice Film Festival 2024. It delves into heavy moral questions surrounding assisted dying, euthanasia, and the growing existential threat of climate change. At the heart of the story are two iconic characters: Martha (played by Tilda Swinton) and Ingrid (Julianne Moore). The film opens with their reunion, where Ingrid has only just discovered that Martha is terminally ill, setting the stage for a deep exploration of their relationship amid challenging circumstances. Martha reveals that she plans to end her life before the disease does, and wants Ingrid to accompany her in this final chapter.

The 2024 Venice International Film Festival wrapped up its 81st edition last week, running from August 28 to September 7. The festival opened with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, directed by none other than Tim Burton. The long-awaited sequel arrived 36 years after the original Beetlejuice (1988), and while the film generated excitement, the festival itself will likely be remembered for something else entirely—the scorching heat that made this edition one of the hottest in history. The first week was a sweaty affair, with journalists, festival-goers, and guests all sweltering in the relentless heat that beat down on the Lido.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest cinematic venture is his most ambitious, explosive, and genre-bending work to date. An ultra-feminist tale of a young woman, Bella Baxter (played by an unhinged Emma Stone), who is the result of an experiment conducted by avant-garde surgeon, Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Bella liberates herself from man-made constraints - quite literally - and embarks on a sensual journey of self-discovery. After all, you have to go away to find yourself, isn’t that true? In Bella’s case, she needed to put a healthy distance between herself and God (that’s what she calls Dr. Baxter, you see, highly problematic).