It was a film that’s trailer fanned flames of ardour in excited fans’ hearts upon release, and now Pedro Almodóvar’s Strange Way of Life has debuted at Cannes Film Festival.
The clip first shared with the world teased a romance from 25 years ago between lead actors Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke in this 31-minute queer Western, a relationship they are forced to confront once more when Silva (Pascal) rides his horse across the desert to visit old friend (and now, sheriff) Jake (Hawke).
The heat and bold, sweeping style that the trailer promised are certainly here in abundance.
It may be a short film (and nine minutes away from being able to contend in the Academy Awards as a best picture nominee), but full character arcs and swaggering drama is still packed in by Almodóvar and his team.
Most notable in Strange Way of Life is Pascal and Hawke’s full-hearted commitment to each other’s character and their connection: it is passionate and a little steamy despite the fact the closest they are seen getting is one embrace.
As with many of the most effective romances, the emotion and tension between the pair is all pent up in their looks and exchanges, especially when Jake regrets their encounter.
Things are further complicated by the fact Jake is in pursuit of Silva’s son, whom he suspects of murder, leading to quite the dramatic standoff.
Strange Way of Life also has gorgeous production design, courtesy of Antxón Gómez, and Saint Laurent’s creative director Anthony Vaccarello’s bold costumes add a sense of fashion – why shouldn’t Silva wear a green jacket and, later, a yellow and black check shirt in this 1910 period piece?
It’s perhaps unsurprising that fashion fingerprints are all over this film too, given that it is actually Saint Laurent’s debut film, with the label receiving an associate picture credit.
The music is also gorgeously atmospheric thanks to Alberto Iglesias’ lush orchestrations bringing all the scale of a feature-length film.
With this short, it’s easy to wonder what could have been were it a longer movie– but we should appreciate Almodóvar’s work just as it is, a beautifully presented neat package of queer passion.
A Strange Way of Life debuted at Cannes Film Festival and will be released in Spain on May 26. A UK release date is yet to be announced.
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