Johnny Depp Hints at Amber Heard Trial as He Says His Life Turned 'Into a Soap Opera, Televised in Fact'

Johnny Depp alluded to his highly publicized court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard at a press conference for his latest project.

The star, 61, is debuting Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness, the new film he directed, at the 72nd San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain. During a press conference held Sept. 24, Depp explained how he personally related to the film's subject, Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.

"Each has their story. Sure, we can say that I’ve been through a number of things here and there. But, you know, I’m alright," he said with a laugh, in video from the conference shared on Instagram by The Hollywood Reporter.

"I think we’ve all been through a number of things, ultimately. Maybe yours wasn't, didn’t turn into a soap opera, televised, in fact," added Depp, seemingly referring to his 2022 Virginia defamation trial, which had its proceedings live-streamed to millions each day.

He continued, "But we all experience and go through what we go through. And those things that we are able to live and remember and use, these are your stripes. You never forget them. So to see these people all on the, teetering on the verge of earning their stripes, desperate to speak but unable to ... in a way."

Heard, 38, who now lives a quiet life in Madrid, Spain, with her 3-year-old daughter, paid Depp $1 million in a settlement to conclude the defamation lawsuit after a jury sided mostly with Depp.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

One of Depp's lawyers from the case, Camille Vasquez, told PEOPLE earlier this year that Depp was the one who wanted cameras in the courtroom for the trial.

"I know how personal and how invasive some of the topics that we talked about were for both of them, for both Mr. Depp and Ms. Heard," she said, adding that it was "incredibly important" Depp be able to reach his fans "and show them the evidence that the jury was evaluating."

Heard's former attorney from the trial, Elaine Charlson Bredehoft, told PEOPLE at the same time that she "fought hard" against having cameras present and feels "social media completely hijacked that trial."

Depp's Modi movie, per a synopsis shared by the San Sebastian International Film Festival, "follows a chaotic series of events through the streets of war torn Paris in 1916."

"On the run from the police, [Amedeo Modigliani's] desire to end his career and leave the city is dismissed by fellow artists Maurice Utrillo, Chaim Soutine and Modi’s muse, Beatrice Hastings," the synopsis adds.

"Modi seeks advice from his art dealer and friend, Leopold Zborowski — however, after a night of hallucinations, the chaos in Modi’s mind reaches a crescendo when faced with an American collector, Maurice Gangnat, who has the power to change his life."

As he continues to screen Modi, Depp is set to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Rome Film Festival in October. He is also opening an art exhibit in New York City that month.