The long-awaited first trailer for Pedro Almodóvar’s Strange Way of Life is finally here and it looks incredible.
The Western short stars Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke as former lovers reunited after decades apart.
The official synopsis for Strange Way of Life reads: “A man rides a horse across the desert that separates him from Bitter Creek. He comes to visit Sheriff Jake. Twenty-five years earlier, both the sheriff and Silva, the rancher who rode out to meet him, worked together as hired gunmen.”
The synopsis continues. “Silva visits him with the excuse of reuniting with his friend from his youth, and they do indeed celebrate their meeting, but the next morning Sheriff Jake tells him that the reason for his trip is not to go down the memory lane of their old friendship…”
Almodóvar has called this short his answer to Brokeback Mountain and what that means to the writer and director, is campy, audacious, unapologetic queerness and we love to see it.
He’s previously explained that the title “alludes to the famous fado by Amalia Rodrigues, whose lyrics suggest that there is no stranger existence than the one that is lived by turning your back on your own desires.”
Since their romance ended a quarter decade before the two men have moved in different directions, Pascal’s Silva is now a gunslinger and Hawke’s Jake has become a town Sheriff. But when their paths cross again old passions are reignited. In the trailer, the two fight about their history, and at one point Silva tells Jake, “Years ago you asked me what two men could do living together on a ranch. I’ll answer you now.”
We can’t wait to hear what he says next.
Strange Way of Life also stars Elite’s Manu Rios along with José Condessa, Jason Fernández, Sara Sálama, Erenice Lohan, Pedro Casablan. and George Steane.The short will have its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, which takes place May 16 to 27.
