The new film Call Me by Your Name, based on the 2007 novel of the same title, is a sensuous, coming-of-age love story set in northern Italy in the 1980s.
As the movie begins, the Perlman family is awaiting a visitor. Michael Stuhlbarg plays Lyle Perlman, an American professor who spends summers with his family at their Italian villa. For six weeks, his 17-year-old son Elio, played by Timothee Chalamet, has to give up his usual bedroom to accommodate 24-year-old grad student Oliver, played by Armie Hammer.
As the summer progresses, so does the relationship between Elio and Oliver. The film earned raves when it premiered at Sundance and is now an awards contender.
The director of Call Me by Your Name is Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino. His previous movies include I Am Love and A Bigger Splash.
We recently sat down to talk about Call Me by Your Name, but before we did that, of course, we chatted for a moment about the topic on everyone's mind in Hollywood -- the continued unmasking of sexual predators following the downfall of Harvey Weinstein.
Guadagnino also shares a bit about his background, including why he decided not to go to film school. He also explains how he ended up working on Call Me by Your Name, first as an Italian consultant, then as a producer, then co-director with screenwriter James Ivory, and finally as the solo director -- a process that took 10 years, all told.
He also talks about his love of Armie Hammer, and how he tapped into his inner "Hannibal Lecter" psychoanalyst to convince him to take the part of Oliver.