Luca Guadagnino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luca Guadagnino
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![]() Guadagnino in 2024
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Born | Palermo, Italy
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10 August 1971
Alma mater | Sapienza University of Rome |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1997–present |
Partner(s) | Ferdinando Cito Filomarino (2009–2020) |
Luca Guadagnino (born 10 August 1971) is a famous Italian film director and producer. He is known for making movies that explore deep feelings and have beautiful visuals. His films have won many awards, including a Silver Lion, and he has been nominated for an Academy Award and three BAFTA Awards.
Luca Guadagnino was born in Palermo, Italy. His mother was from Algeria, and his father was from Sicily. He spent some of his childhood in Ethiopia. His family moved back to Italy in 1977 to escape the Ethiopian Civil War. He started his career by directing short films and documentaries. His first full-length movie was The Protagonists (1999). This film was the first of many times he worked with actress Tilda Swinton. His next film, Melissa P. (2005), was popular in Italy.
Guadagnino became even more well-known with his "Desire" film series. This series includes I Am Love (2009), A Bigger Splash (2015), and Call Me by Your Name (2017). Call Me by Your Name made him famous around the world. His film Suspiria (2018) was a remake of a 1977 horror movie. It was his first time directing a horror film. Later, he directed We Are Who We Are (2020), a TV series for HBO about growing up. He also made the romantic film Bones and All (2022), the sports film Challengers (2024), and the drama Queer (2024).
Guadagnino has also directed several documentaries. These include Bertolucci on Bertolucci (2013) and Salvatore: The Shoemaker of Dreams (2020). Besides making films, he has worked in the fashion world. He has directed advertisements for big brands like Fendi and Salvatore Ferragamo. In 2012, he started his own film company called Frenesy Film Company. He has also produced other films like Belluscone: A Sicilian Story (2014) and The Truffle Hunters (2020).
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Luca Guadagnino was born on August 10, 1971, in Palermo, Italy. His mother grew up in Casablanca, Morocco, and his father was from Canicattì, Sicily. Luca spent his early childhood in Ethiopia, where his father taught history. In 1977, his family moved back to Palermo, Italy, to escape the civil war happening in Ethiopia.
Luca became interested in filmmaking when he was about nine years old. He started making amateur films after his mother gave him a Super 8 camera. As a teenager, he became very passionate about movies. He would record films shown on TV and watch them. Some of the movies that inspired him early on were Psycho (1960), Suspiria (1977), and Starman (1984). He also really liked the films of Ingmar Bergman.
Guadagnino studied literature at the University of Palermo. He then moved to the Sapienza University of Rome. There, he finished his degree in literature and cinema history. He wrote his final paper about the American filmmaker Jonathan Demme. At Sapienza, he met actress Laura Betti. He often went to her parties and cooked for her guests, which included famous people like Bernardo Bertolucci. Guadagnino later said that these experiences were like his "film school."
Film Career
First Films (1999–2008)
Guadagnino directed his first full-length movie, The Protagonists (1999). This film was shown at the Venice Film Festival. It was also his first time working with actress Tilda Swinton and editor Walter Fasano. In 2002, he directed Mundo Civilizado, a musical documentary. His 2004 documentary, Cuoco Contadino, followed an Italian chef. His second full-length movie, the drama Melissa P., came out the next year and was very successful.
The "Desire Trilogy" and Other Works (2009–2017)
In 2009, Luca Guadagnino directed, wrote, and produced the popular film I Am Love. This was the first movie in what he calls his "Desire trilogy." Tilda Swinton helped produce and develop this film over seven years, and she also stars in it. The film was shown at many international festivals and was an instant hit with critics and audiences. In 2010, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design, a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film, and a BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language.

In 2011, Guadagnino directed Inconscio Italiano, a documentary film. He also worked on the documentary Bertolucci on Bertolucci (2013). This film was made from old video clips and won many international awards.
Guadagnino also produced several other films. He was a producer for the short film Diarchia (2010), which won awards at film festivals. Two years later, he produced Edoardo Gabbriellini's film The Landlords. In 2015, Guadagnino produced Antonia, a movie about the Italian poet Antonia Pozzi.
In 2015, Guadagnino directed the second film in his Desire Trilogy, the thriller A Bigger Splash. It starred Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes, and Dakota Johnson. The film was shown for the first time at the 72nd Venice Film Festival.
Guadagnino's next film was Call Me by Your Name. It was based on a novel by André Aciman and starred Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The movie was filmed in Italy in 2016 and first shown at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. It was released in theaters in late 2017.
Becoming Internationally Known (2017–Present)
In September 2015, Guadagnino announced he would direct a remake of Dario Argento's horror film Suspiria. His version, Suspiria, was set in Berlin around 1977. Tilda Swinton and Dakota Johnson starred in the film. Suspiria was first shown at the 75th Venice Film Festival.
In January 2019, Guadagnino directed The Staggering Girl, a short film starring Julianne Moore and Mia Goth. The next year, he was an executive producer for The Truffle Hunters, a documentary. He also directed Salvatore Ferragamo: The Shoemaker of Dreams, a documentary about Salvatore Ferragamo.
He also wrote and directed We Are Who We Are, an 8-episode TV series for HBO. It premiered on September 14, 2020. In 2021, Guadagnino produced Beckett, directed by Ferdinando Cito Filomarino.
On January 28, 2021, it was announced that Guadagnino would direct Bones and All. This film was based on a novel about young people on a journey. Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell starred in it. Bones and All premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2022. There, it won the Silver Lion for best direction. In 2023, he co-produced two Italian films, The Meatseller and Enea, and the short film Holiday.
On February 11, 2022, he agreed to direct the sports drama film Challengers. It starred Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist. The film was released on April 26, 2024, and was praised by critics. That same year, he produced Diciannove and April. Guadagnino's second film of 2024 was Queer, based on a novel by William S. Burroughs. Daniel Craig played the main role. The film premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.
Guadagnino will direct the thriller After the Hunt, starring Julia Roberts. Filming began on July 6, 2024. He will also produce Atropia, which finished filming in July 2023.
Future Projects
Guadagnino has several exciting projects planned. He is set to direct Separate Rooms, a film based on a 1989 novel. He is also in talks to direct a new version of the 1991 novel American Psycho. In early 2025, it was confirmed that Guadagnino will direct Artificial. This film is about the brief removal of Sam Altman as CEO of OpenAI. The film will start production in Italy in August 2025 and is planned for release in 2026. It will star Andrew Garfield, Yura Borisov, and Cooper Koch.
Other Activities
Guadagnino has been a judge at the Torino Film Festival twice. In 2010, he was a member of the jury at the Venice Film Festival. In 2011, he was the president of the Beirut Film Festival.
Outside of film, he started working with the Italian fashion house Fendi in 2005. In 2012, he created Frenesy, a company that works with luxury brands. It creates fashion films, advertisements, and special events.
Guadagnino led the jury for Louis Vuitton's Journey Awards in 2012. This was a competition for young filmmakers. He was also a jury member at the first Fashion Film Festival Milano in 2014. In December 2011, he directed his first opera, Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi, in Verona, Italy.
Luca Guadagnino will be the head of the jury for the upcoming Marrakech International Film Festival.
Influences and Style
Guadagnino once said that seeing the desert in the film Lawrence of Arabia when he was five years old was his "first impression of a screen." Even though he is influenced by Italian filmmakers like Bernardo Bertolucci and Federico Fellini, Guadagnino sees himself as an international filmmaker. He has even said he wishes to be seen as Algerian, like his mother. He explained, "I grew up in Ethiopia. I came to Italy when I was seven. In my mind, deep emotions and visual landscapes are from Ethiopia and not Palermo or any place in Italy. I arrived in Italy as an outsider." He also said that as a young person, he felt "isolated" and found comfort in cinema, especially horror movies. Other directors who influenced Guadagnino include Alfred Hitchcock, Jean-Luc Godard, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
Frequent Collaborators
Luca Guadagnino often works with the same group of actors and crew members. Actors who appear in his films often include Tilda Swinton, Fabrizia Sacchi, Alba Rohrwacher, Timothée Chalamet, Dakota Johnson, and Michael Stuhlbarg. Tilda Swinton has been in four of his films. Fabrizia Sacchi has been in three of his movies and other projects. Alba Rohrwacher has also appeared in his films. Timothée Chalamet starred in Call Me By Your Name and Bones and All.
Yorick Le Saux and Sayombhu Mukdeeprom are his most frequent cinematographers (the people who film the movie). Yorick Le Saux has worked on I Am Love and A Bigger Splash. Sayombhu Mukdeeprom filmed Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria.
Walter Fasano has been Guadagnino's main editor since 1997. Guadagnino also often works with producers Francesco Melzi d'Eril and Marco Morabito, and screenwriter David Kajganich.
Collaborator | Role | The Protagonists | Melissa P. | I Am Love | A Bigger Splash | Call Me By Your Name | Suspiria | We Are Who We Are | Bones and All | Challengers | Queer | After the Hunt | Total |
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Walter Fasano | Editor | ![]() |
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Marco Morabito | Producer | ![]() |
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Francesco Melzi d'Eril | Producer | ![]() |
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Giulia Piersanti | Costume designer | ![]() |
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Marco Costa | Editor | ![]() |
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Sayombhu Mukdeeprom | Cinematography | ![]() |
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Tilda Swinton | Actress | ![]() |
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Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross | Composers | ![]() |
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Fabrizia Sacchi | Actress | ![]() |
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Yorick Le Saux | Cinematography | ![]() |
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David Kajganich | Screenwriter | ![]() |
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Lorenzo Mieli | Producer | ![]() |
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Chloë Sevigny | Actress | ![]() |
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Michael Stuhlbarg | Actor | ![]() |
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Jessica Harper | Actress | ![]() |
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Barbara Alberti | Screenwriter | ![]() |
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Jonathan Anderson | Costume designer | ![]() |
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Justin Kuritzkes | Screenwriter | ![]() |
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Alba Rohrwacher | Actress | ![]() |
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Dakota Johnson | Actress | ![]() |
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Elena Bucci | Actress | ![]() |
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Timothée Chalamet | Actor | ![]() |
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Personal Life
Luca Guadagnino used to live and work in a very old building in Crema, Italy. He moved out because he felt he didn't have enough privacy after his film Call Me By Your Name became very popular. As of 2024, he lives in Milan.
Filmography
Feature Film
Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
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1999 | The Protagonists | Yes | No | Yes |
2005 | Melissa P. | Yes | No | Yes |
2009 | I Am Love | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2015 | A Bigger Splash | Yes | Yes | No |
2017 | Call Me by Your Name | Yes | Yes | No |
2018 | Suspiria | Yes | Yes | No |
2022 | Bones and All | Yes | Yes | No |
2024 | Challengers | Yes | Yes | No |
Queer | Yes | Yes | No | |
2025 | After the Hunt ![]() |
Yes | Yes | No |
Producer Only
- The Landlords (2012)
- Belluscone: A Sicilian Story (2014)
- Antonia (2015)
- Ombre dal fondo (2016)
- The Truffle Hunters (2020)
- Beckett (2021)
- Enea (2023)
- Holiday (2023)
- Diciannove (2024)
- April (2024)
- Atropia (2025)
Documentary Film
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
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2003 | Mundo civilizado | Yes | No | No | |
The Making of Lotus | Yes | No | No | ||
2004 | Cuoco contadino | Yes | Yes | No | |
2008 | The Love Factory No. 3 Pippo Delbono – Bisogna morire |
Yes | Yes | Yes | |
2011 | Inconscio italiano | Yes | No | No | |
2013 | Bertolucci on Bertolucci | Yes | No | Yes | co-directed with Walter Fasano |
2020 | Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams | Yes | No | No |
Documentary Short
- Tilda Swinton: The Love Factory (2002)
- Arto Lindsay Perdoa a Beleza (The Love Factory Series) (2004)
Short Film
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
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1997 | Qui | Yes | No | No |
2000 | L'uomo risacca | Yes | No | No |
2001 | Au Revoir | Yes | Yes | No |
2002 | Rosso | No | No | Yes |
2007 | Part Deux | Yes | No | No |
Delfinasia | No | No | Yes | |
2010 | Diarchia | No | No | Yes |
Chronology | Yes | Yes | No | |
2019 | The Staggering Girl | Yes | No | Yes |
2020 | Fiori, Fiori, Fiori | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2021 | O Night Divine | Yes | No | Yes |
2023 | The Meatseller | No | No | Yes |
Television
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
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2020 | We Are Who We Are | Yes | Yes | Yes | Miniseries |
Music Videos
Year | Title | Artist | Ref |
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2021 | "Tell Me You Love Me" | Sufjan Stevens | |
"Toy Boy" | Colapesce Dimartino Ornella Vanoni |
Lyricist
Year | Title | Movie | Notes |
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2024 | "Compress / Repress" | Challengers | co-writer credit on the song |
Advertising
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Brand | Ref. |
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2012 | Destinée | Yes | No | No | Cartier | |
Here | Yes | Concept by | No | Starwood | ||
One Plus One | Yes | No | No | Giorgio Armani | ||
The Switch | No | No | Yes | Tod's | ||
2013 | Adele's Dream | No | No | Yes | Fendi | |
Walking Stories | Yes | No | Yes | Salvatore Ferragamo | ||
2014 | A Rose Reborn | No | No | Yes | Ermenegildo Zegna | |
2021 | SS21 | Yes | Concept by | Yes | Salvatore Ferragamo | |
2024 | See You at 5 | Yes | Concept by | Yes | Chanel |
Awards and Nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
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1999 | Venice Film Festival | FEDIC Award - Special Mention | The Protagonists | Won | |
2008 | Turin Film Festival | Best Italian Documentary Film | The Love Factory No. 3 | Won | |
2009 | Venice Film Festival | Queer Lion | I Am Love | Nominated | |
2010 | Berlin Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Nominated | ||
Boulder International Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Won | |||
Nastro D'Argento Awards | Best Original Story | Nominated | |||
Santa Barbara International Film Festival | Best International Film | Nominated | |||
2011 | Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards | Best Non-English Language Film | Nominated | ||
British Academy Film Awards | Best Film Not in the English Language | Nominated | |||
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated | |||
Golden Globe Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated | |||
2014 | Nastro D'Argento Awards | Best Documentary About Cinema | Bertolucci on Bertolucci | Nominated | |
2015 | Venice Film Festival | Golden Lion | A Bigger Splash | Nominated | |
Soundtrack Stars Award | Won | ||||
Best Innovative Budget Award | Won | ||||
2017 | The Advocate's Person of the Year | N/A | Finalist | ||
Adelaide Film Festival | Best Feature | Call Me by Your Name | Nominated | ||
Berlin International Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Nominated | |||
Chéries-Chéris Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Won | |||
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
Best Director | Nominated | ||||
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | 4th place | |||
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
Ghent International Film Festival | Best Film | Nominated | |||
Gotham Independent Film Awards | Best Feature | Won | |||
Audience Award | Nominated | ||||
IndieWire Critics Poll | Best Film | 7th place | |||
Best Director | 2nd place | ||||
Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival | Best Film | Won | |||
Audience Award | Nominated | ||||
Ljubljana International Film Festival | Best Feature | Won | |||
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Won | |||
Best Director | Won | ||||
National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films of the Year | Won | |||
Melbourne International Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Won | |||
Miskolc International Film Festival | Emeric Pressburger Award | Won | |||
Online Film Critics Society Awards | Best Picture | Nominated | |||
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | Best Film | Nominated | |||
San Sebastián International Film Festival | Best Film | Nominated | |||
St. Louis International Film Festival | Audience Choice Award | Won | |||
Sydney Film Festival | Audience Award | 2nd place | |||
Toronto International Film Festival | People's Choice Award | 3rd place | |||
Village Voice Film Poll | Best Director | 4th place | |||
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
2018 | AACTA International Awards | Best Direction | Nominated | ||
Academy Awards | Best Picture | Nominated | |||
American Film Institute Awards | Top Ten Films of the Year | Won | |||
Amanda Awards | Best Foreign Feature Film | Nominated | |||
Austin Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
British Academy Film Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
Best Direction | Nominated | ||||
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival | Filmmaker of the Year | Won | |||
Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Director | Nominated | |||
Dorian Awards | Film of the Year | Won | |||
Director of the Year (Film and Television) | Nominated | ||||
LGBTQ Film of the Year | Won | ||||
Empire Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
European Film Awards | People's Choice Award for Best European Film | Won | |||
Georgia Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | Nominated | |||
Golden Ciak Awards | Best Film | Won | |||
Best Producer | Nominated | ||||
Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | |||
Houston Film Critics Society Awards | Best Picture | Nominated | |||
Independent Spirit Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
Best Director | Nominated | ||||
International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Picture | Won | |||
Best Director | Runner-up | ||||
London Film Critics' Circle Awards | Film of the Year | Nominated | |||
Director of the Year | Nominated | ||||
Los Angeles Italia Film Festival | Excellence Award | Won | |||
Nastro d'Argento Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
Best Director | Nominated | ||||
Producers Guild of America Awards | Best Theatrical Motion Picture | Nominated | |||
Satellite Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |||
Venice Film Festival | Golden Lion | Suspiria | Nominated | ||
Queer Lion | Nominated | ||||
2019 | Independent Spirit Awards | Robert Altman Award | Won | ||
2022 | Gothenburg Film Festival | Honorary Dragon Award | N/A | Won | |
Provincetown International Film Festival | Filmmaker on the Edge Award | N/A | Won | ||
Venice Film Festival | Silver Lion | Bones and All | Won | ||
Golden Lion | Nominated | ||||
Zurich Film Festival | A Tribute to... Award | N/A | Won | ||
Independent Spirit Awards | Best Feature | Bones and All | Nominated |
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Luca Guadagnino para niños