Commentary Call Me By Your Name

Call Me by Your Name (Italian: Chiamami col tuo nome) is a 2017 comingof-age romantic drama film directed by Luca Guadagnino. Its screenplay, by James Ivory, who also co-produced, was based on André Aciman's 2007 novel of the same name. The film is the final installment in Guadagnino's thematic "Desire" trilogy, after I Am Love (2009) and A Bigger Splash (2015). Set in northern Italy in 1983, Call Me by Your Name chronicles a romantic relationship between a 17-year-old, Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), and Oliver (Armie Hammer), a 24-year-old graduate-student assistant to Elio's father (Michael Stuhlbarg), a professor of archaeology. The film also stars the French actresses Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, and Victoire Du Bois. Development began in 2007 when producers Peter Spears and Howard Rosenman "optioned" the rights to Aciman's novel. Ivory had been chosen to co-direct with Guadagnino, but stepped down in 2016. Guadagnino had joined the project as a location scout, and eventually became sole director, and co-producer. The film was financed by several international companies, and its principal photography took place mainly in the city and comune of Crema, Lombardy, in May and June of 2016. Cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom used 35 mm film, as opposed to employing digital cinematography. The filmmakers spent weeks decorating Villa Albergoni, one of the main shooting locations. Guadagnino curated the film's soundtrack, which features three original songs by the American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens. Sony Pictures Classics acquired distribution rights to Call Me by Your Name before its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2017. It began a limited release in the United States on November 24, 2017, and went on general release on January 19, 2018. The film garnered a number of accolades, including many for its screenplay, direction, acting, and music. It received four nominations at the 90th Academy Awards(including Best Picture), and won Best Adapted Screenplay. Ivory's screenplay also won at the 23rd Critics' Choice Awards, 71st British Academy Film Awards, and the Writers Guild of America Awards 2017. A sequel to the film was announced in January 2018.