Spain’s Pedro Almodovar won Venice’s Golden Lion award Saturday for his pro-euthanasia film “The Room Next Door”, with the acting prizes going to Nicole Kidman and Frenchman Vincent Lindon. The female friendship end-of-life film starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore was Almodovar’s first English-language feature-length film. In the film — which like many of Almodovar’s hinges on strong female characters — Swinton plays a war correspondent suffering from terminal cancer. She asks her friend, played by Moore, to be at her side when she takes her own life.

“I believe saying goodbye to this world cleanly and with dignity is a fundamental right of every human being,” Almodovar told the audience after accepting his award. “It is not a political issue, but a human one.” He acknowledged that “this right goes against any religion or creed that has God as the only source of life”.

Director Maura Delpero poses during a photocall receiving the Silver Lion - Grand Jury Prize for 'Vermiglio'.

Director Brady Corbet poses during a photocall after receiving the Silver Lion for Best Director for 'The Brutalist'.

Director Halina Reijn receives on behalf of actress Nicole Kidman the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress she received for 'Babygirl'.

Actress Nicole Kidman attends the red carpet of the movie "Babygirl".

Actor Vincent Lindon poses with the Coppa Volpi for Best Actor he received for 'Jouer avec le feu' (The Quiet Son).

Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega pose during a photocall after receiving the Award for Best Screenplay for Ainda Estou Aqui (Still Here).

Director Dea Kulumbegashvili poses during a photocall after receiving the Special Jury Prize award for 'April'.

Actor Paul Kircher poses with the "Marcello Mastroianni" Award for Best New Young Actor he received for his performance in 'Leurs Enfants apres eux' (And their children after them).

“I would ask practitioners of any creed to respect and not intervene in individual decisions in this regard,” said the prolific director, whose films in recent years have considered themes of death or physical decline. President of the jury, French actor Isabelle Huppert, said the film tackled important issues thoughtfully and without melodrama. She paid tribute, too, to the performances of the two lead actors. Almodovar was honored by Venice with a career achievement award five years ago.

‘My heart is broken’

Kidman was awarded the best actress award for her fearless turn as a CEO who has an affair with an intern in the erotic thriller “Babygirl”, but she was unable to collect the prize following the sudden death of her mother. “My heart is broken,” said the Australian actress in a statement read onstage 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.

Bogdan Muresanu poses with the Orizzonti Award for Best Film he received for Anul Nou Care N-A Fost (The New Year that never came).

Sarah Friedland poses during a photocall after receiving the Lion of the Future – "Luigi De Laurentiis" Venice Award for a Debut Film and the Orizzonti Best Director award for 'Familiar Touch'.

Murat F'ratoglu poses with the Orizzonti Award Special Jury Prize he received for Hemme Nin Oldugu Gunlerden Biri (One of Those days when Hemme dies).

Kathleen Chalfant, Orizzonti Award for Best Actress.

Francesco Gheghi poses with the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor he received for his performance in the movie 'Familia' of Francesco Costabile.

Director Nader Saeivar poses after receiving the Venice Orizzonti Award of the Public for 'Shahed' (The Witness).

Director Alexandre O. Philippe poses during a photocall after receiving the Venice Classic Award for Best Documentary for 'Chain Reaction'.

Director Nanni Moretti acknowledges receiving the Venice Classic Award for Best Restored Film for 'Ecce Bombo'.

Kidman was praised by critics during the 10-day festival for her no-holds-barred performance in the sexually explicit film about female desire and power relationships. Veteran French actor Vincent Lindon won the best actor award for “The Quiet Son”, in which he plays a single father struggling to prevent his teenage son from being swept up in far-right extremism.

He won against well-received performances from former Bond actor Daniel Craig in “Queer” and Adrien Brody in “The Brutalist”. The Grand Jury Prize, considered a runner-up to the Golden Lion, went to Italian film “Vermiglio” from director Maura Delpero, which dealt with the effects of World War Two on an isolated mountain village.