Pedro Almodóvar on Strange Way Of Life’s connection to Brokeback Mountain
Almodovar revealed his new film is an "answer" to Brokeback Mountain.
Pedro Almodóvar has revealed there is a subtle connection between his new film, Strange Way Of Life, and Brokeback Mountain.
Strange Way Of Life is premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival this week.
Speaking to the New York Times, the revered Spanish director’s noted the queer western films are linked by their storylines.
Almodóvar also revealed he sees this new project as a continuum of Brokeback Mountain.
Strange Way Of Life film follows the pair playing two cowboys as they reunite after 25 years apart.
Sheriff Jake (Ethan Hawke) and Silva (Pedro Pascal) are at each other’s throats. However, there’s an underlying tension to their heated exchanges as they come to reminisce on the past.
The director has previously described Strange Way of Life as a “queer Western, in the sense that there are two men and they love each other.”
“One of them travels through the desert to find the other,” Almodóvar also revealed. “There will be a showdown between them, but really the story is very intimate.”
‘What would two men do in the West, working on a ranch?’
“In ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ Jake Gyllenhaal’s character says to Heath Ledger’s character that they should go away and work on a ranch,” Almodóvar noted.
“Heath says, ‘What would two men do in the West, working on a ranch?’ In many ways, I feel my film gives answer to that.”
Brokeback Mountain is a seminal queer cinematic text with shepherds Ennis (the late Ledger) and Jack (Gyllenhaal) developing an intimate relationship.
Almodóvar was initially selected to direct the Oscar-winning film, but ended up turning the 2005 project down. Instead, it was taken up by Ang Lee.
A wide release is yet to be announced but you can be sure we’ll keep you in the loop.