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Luca Guadagnino
Luca Guadagnino-63112.jpg
Guadagnino in 2024
Born (1971-08-10) 10 August 1971 (age 53)
Palermo, Italy
Alma mater Sapienza University of Rome
Occupation
  • Film director
  • film producer
  • screenwriter
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).

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.

Luca Guadagnino and André Aciman at the screening of Call Me By Your Name, 2017 Berlin International Film Festival
Guadagnino and André Aciman at a screening of Call Me by Your Name in 2017.

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.

Queer (film)-63169
Guadagnino and the cast of Queer at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.

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
Walter Fasano Editor YesY YesY YesY YesY YesY YesY 6
Marco Morabito Producer YesY YesY YesY YesY YesY YesY 6
Francesco Melzi d'Eril Producer YesY YesY YesY YesY YesY 5
Giulia Piersanti Costume designer YesY YesY YesY YesY YesY 5
Marco Costa Editor YesY YesY YesY YesY YesY 5
Sayombhu Mukdeeprom Cinematography YesY YesY YesY YesY 4
Tilda Swinton Actress YesY YesY YesY YesY 4
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Composers YesY YesY YesY YesY 4
Fabrizia Sacchi Actress YesY YesY YesY 3
Yorick Le Saux Cinematography YesY YesY YesY 3
David Kajganich Screenwriter YesY YesY YesY 3
Lorenzo Mieli Producer YesY YesY YesY 3
Chloë Sevigny Actress YesY YesY YesY 3
Michael Stuhlbarg Actor YesY YesY YesY 3
Jessica Harper Actress YesY YesY 2
Barbara Alberti Screenwriter YesY YesY 2
Jonathan Anderson Costume designer YesY YesY 2
Justin Kuritzkes Screenwriter YesY YesY 2
Alba Rohrwacher Actress YesY YesY 2
Dakota Johnson Actress YesY YesY 2
Elena Bucci Actress YesY YesY 2
Timothée Chalamet Actor YesY YesY 2

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
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 Not yet released 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
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
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
2020 We Are Who We Are Yes Yes Yes Miniseries

Music Videos

Year Title Artist Ref
2021 "Tell Me You Love Me" Sufjan Stevens
"Toy Boy" Colapesce
Dimartino
Ornella Vanoni

Lyricist

Year Title Movie Notes
2024 "Compress / Repress" Challengers co-writer credit on the song

Advertising

Year Title Director Writer Producer Brand Ref.
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.
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

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See also

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