NEW YORK – Tilda Swinton is ready to delve into the topic of death.

In “The Room Next Door,” which debuted Friday at the New York Film Festival, Swinton portrays Martha, a former war correspondent who chooses to end her life after running out of treatment options for terminal cancer. Wanting to experience her remaining time without pain and with a clear mind, she buys a black-market euthanasia drug online and invites her old colleague, Ingrid (Julianne Moore), to be present in an adjoining bedroom as she passes away.

However, Ingrid fears death and attempts to persuade Martha that there’s still so much to cherish in life. Thus, the two friends take refuge in a luxurious vacation home in upstate New York, where they unwind and tackle life’s significant issues together.

With such long-time friends, Swinton, 63, shared at a post-screening Q&A, “you can skip the small talk and get right to the meaningful stuff. You don’t have to worry about asking, ‘What did you do last week?’ or ‘How about that relationship that was short-lived?’ It’s rare to see this type of bond between two women depicted in films, yet they are prevalent in real life and are essential to us.”

The stunning drama is helmed by renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar and is based on Sigrid Nunez’s 2020 book “What Are You Going Through.” Moore, 63, deeply expressed her connection to the material.

“The human experience can often feel solitary: You sometimes wonder if you truly exist,” she stated. “You frequently ask, ‘Could I be imagining all of this? Am I utterly alone?’ The only way to understand you’re not alone is through the presence of someone else who acknowledges you. That’s the beauty of this film: all these people coming together to create at a single moment, proving that we lived.”

For Ingrid, being there for Martha during her final days “is a significant journey,” added Almodóvar. He chose Moore for her empathy and cast Swinton because she appears to come from “another dimension.” (He humorously noted, “I envy her bone structure!”)

“This was ideal for Martha, who can discuss war, death, loneliness, and everything she’s losing to this illness,” Almodóvar remarked. “Yet she maintains a certain dignity. She’s celebrating her life.”

“The Room Next Door” took home the best picture award at the Venice Film Festival last month and is set to hit theaters in New York and Los Angeles on December 20. Swinton and Moore once again aim for their second Academy Awards with this film, having previously won for 2007’s “Michael Clayton” and 2014’s “Still Alice,” respectively.