Inside The Making Of “Call Me By Your Name” (HBO)

Summary

In this engaging script, author Andre Aciman and director Luca Guadagnino discuss the novel and film 'Call Me by Your Name,' which tells the story of a passionate and enduring love between two men, 17 and 24 years old. Set in Italy, the narrative unfolds through the lens of a lush summer, exploring the intimate relationship that shapes their lives. Aciman shares his creative process, including a provocative scene that both shocked and captivated him, ultimately deciding to keep it for its authenticity. The script highlights the importance of capturing the raw, individual experience and translating it into a collective, emotional journey.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script is about the novel and movie 'Call Me By Your Name', which explores a romantic relationship between two individuals, one 17 and the other 24 years old.
• 🏡 The story is set in Italy, with the author using his imagination to create a vivid setting involving a house, a beach, and a pine alley.
• 🚗 The author's creative process involved envisioning a car arriving at the house, which led to the introduction of a character that made him nervous.
• 🎬 The director, Luca Guadagnino, discusses the adaptation of the novel into a film, emphasizing the importance of the setting and the characters' relationship.
• 📝 The author, André Aciman, shares his initial frustration and inability to travel to Italy, which sparked the beginning of the novel.
• 🍉 A key scene from the novel and film involves a sensual moment with a fruit, which the author initially questioned for its plausibility but later confirmed as possible.
• 🎨 The film aims to make the individual experience of the characters a collective one, dealing with the rawness and beauty of their relationship.
• 🌟 Both the novel and the film are praised for their lack of sensationalism, focusing instead on the genuine connection between the two main characters.
• 🚫 The script mentions the absence of accidents, death, or any form of sexual prohibition in the story, highlighting the natural development of the characters' relationship.
• 💖 The relationship in 'Call Me By Your Name' is presented as a model for a happy romance, emphasizing the importance of genuine love and connection.
• 🎵 The transcript is punctuated by music, suggesting an emotional and atmospheric tone to the narrative.

Q & A

Who is Andre Osman and what is his connection to 'Call Me by Your Name'?

Andre Osman is the author of the novel 'Call Me by Your Name'. He also appears in the script discussing the story and his creative process.

What is the central theme of the novel 'Call Me by Your Name'?

The central theme of the novel is the love story between two individuals, one 17 years old and the other 24 years old, which develops and stays with them for the rest of their lives.

What was the inspiration behind the setting of the novel?

The author, Andre Osman, was unable to go to Italy and was unhappy and frustrated, which led him to start writing a novel set in Italy, incorporating elements like a house, a beach, and a pine alley.

How did the author decide on the characters' arrival in the story?

Andre Osman decided on the characters' arrival by imagining a car coming down a pine alley and then deciding who would come out of the car, choosing a character that made him nervous and intimidated him.

What was the author's initial reaction to a particular scene involving a fruit in the novel?

Andre Osman initially found the scene involving the use of a fruit in a sexual act to be disgusting and questioned its possibility, but he decided to keep it in the novel.

What did the director and co-producer of the movie adaptation do to understand a particular physical act in the story?

The director and co-producer of the movie adaptation questioned the possibility of the physical act involving the fruit and tried it themselves to understand and confirm its feasibility.

What is the significance of the setting during summer in the novel?

The setting during summer is significant as it describes the place as lush with fruits, which plays a role in a pivotal scene in the story.

How does the author address the portrayal of the relationship between the two main characters in the novel?

The author emphasizes that there is no accident, death, or banning of any sexual proclivity, and that the relationship should serve as a model for a happy romance.

What was the challenge the author faced in making the individual experience of the characters a collective one?

The challenge was to convey the brutality of the images and make the individual experience of the characters a collective one without resorting to a postcard imagination of the setting.

What is the author's view on the importance of the setting in relation to the characters in the novel?

The author believes that the setting is crucial and that moving the action to his hometown allowed him to investigate more deeply the relationship between space and the characters.

How does the script reflect on the process of adapting the novel into a film?

The script reflects on the process by discussing the author's creative process, the director's and co-producer's approach to understanding the story, and the challenges of making the individual experience collective in the film.