Could two Oscar winners from the same film emerge victorious this awards season?

Pedro Almodóvar’s captivating melodrama “ The Room Next Door ” is riding high after claiming the coveted Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival , and Sony Pictures Classics is gearing up for an aggressive awards campaign for the movie. Variety has learned exclusively that the film’s two Oscar-winning stars, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton , will be vying for lead actress recognition in the upcoming awards season. Additionally, co-star John Turturro is prepared to campaign for his inaugural Oscar nomination in the best supporting actor category.

The film is adapted from Sigrid Nunez’s novel “What Are You Going Through” and tells the story of two women — war correspondent Martha, played by Swinton, and author Ingrid, portrayed by Moore — who reunite after many years under emotionally charged circumstances. The nuanced performances and intimate narrative have garnered critical acclaim. Variety’s chief film critic, Owen Gleiberman, writes : “‘The Room Next Door,’ as driven by the scalding humanity of Swinton’s performance, lifts you up and delivers a catharsis.”

Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on the Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars

Moore is a favorite of the Academy, having won best actress for the poignant 2014 Alzheimer’s drama “Still Alice” (2014), another Sony Pictures Classics project. She has garnered four other career nominations for “Boogie Nights” (1997), “The End of the Affair” (1999), “The Hours” (2002) and “Far From Heaven” (2002). Swinton, who claimed the best supporting actress Oscar for “Michael Clayton” (2007), hasn't returned to the nominee pool since, despite critically acclaimed performances in films like “We Need to Talk About Kevin” (2011).

In recent years, it has become unusual for two prominent actors from the same film to compete in the same leading category due to what’s informally called “category fraud” — when a performer campaigns for a supporting award despite many considering it a leading role. Notable examples include Brad Pitt’s victory in the supporting actor category for “Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood” (2019), where his co-star Leonardo DiCaprio competed solely in lead, and Rooney Mara’s supporting nomination for the romantic drama “Carol” (2015), despite having a more significant screen presence than lead actress nominee Cate Blanchett.

While the exact screen time for Moore and Swinton in “The Room Next Door” is still being determined, early reactions suggest that both actresses share a balanced presence in the narrative without one overshadowing the other. Their decision to compete in the same category is a refreshing display of artistic integrity over strategic maneuvering, which could distinguish them in a highly competitive awards season.

However, historical data reveals that securing two best actress nominations from the same film is uncommon. Only five films have achieved this feat: “All About Eve” (1950) with Anne Baxter and Bette Davis, “Suddenly, Last Summer” (1959) with Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, “The Turning Point” (1977) with Anne Bancroft and Shirley MacLaine, “Terms of Endearment” (1983) with Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger, and “Thelma & Louise” (1991) with Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. Of these, only MacLaine won for “Terms of Endearment.”

Could Moore and Swinton both be recognized with Lead Actress nominations, breaking the 33-year drought?

It’s definitely within the realm of possibility, but this strategy's success hinges on a nearly flawless campaign. The best actress race for this season is already shaping up to be highly competitive, with a mix of breakout performances and industry veterans. Potential contenders include Karla Sofía Gascón (“Emilia Pérez”), Angelina Jolie (“Maria”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”), Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”), Mikey Madison (“Anora”) and Demi Moore (“The Substance”). Additionally, Sony Classics will need to balance its resources, as the studio is also supporting other films with strong female performances, including Saoirse Ronan in the Sundance breakout recovery drama “The Outrun” and Fernanda Torres in the critically acclaimed Brazilian political thriller “I’m Still Here.”

Produced by Esther García and Agustín Almodóvar, “The Room Next Door” is a contender for numerous awards, including best picture. If successful, it would be the first time a Pedro Almodóvar film has been nominated for the Academy’s top honor. Almodóvar has previously won Oscars for best original screenplay for “Talk to Her” (2002) and best international feature for “All About My Mother” (1999), but, remarkably, the best picture nomination has eluded him until now. That could change this year.

With “The Room Next Door,” Almodóvar has the potential to make history, and with the stellar performances of Moore and Swinton, its Oscar prospects appear very promising.

“The Room Next Door” will debut in theaters in New York and L.A. on Dec. 20, followed by a limited release in the U.S. on Christmas Day and a wider U.S. release in January 2025.