Strange Way of Life, a Western drama directed by Pedro Almodóvar, stars Ethan Hawke as Sheriff Jake and Pedro Pascal as Silva, who connect after decades without seeing each other. But, there is an underlying reason for their reconnection…

Following the film festival that premiered Strange Way of Life, Almodóvar and Hawke were interviewed this past Wednesday. Deadline caught the story, noting that Almodóvar said, “I wanted to make a classic western in which we talk about the desire between two cowboys. Normally in classic Westerns, women always have secondary roles, and we never talk about the desire between two men. That’s what I wanted to do.”

He also said, “I think it’s the first time in the history of a Western where you see two men making the bed… It’s a very important scene because for the character of Jake, making the bed is a way to erase what happened the night before, while for Silva it’s the opposite. Throughout the scene, he talks about what happened in the bed.”

Hawke also discussed the film, stating, “A lot of contemporary Westerns feel like they’re imitating old movies, and to get the chance to work with Almodóvar, everything he has ever done in his life, has an original voice with the camera, an original story to tell. All of his stories are so deeply human.”

Strange Way of Life is set to be released on May 23rd. Catch the trailer for the short film here: