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

VICE News

4 Dec 201703:26

Summary

TLDRIn 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.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Inspiration Behind 'Call Me By Your Name'

Andre Osman, the author of the novel 'Call Me By Your Name,' discusses the origins of the story, which centers around a romantic relationship between two individuals, one 17 and the other 24 years old. The story unfolds in Italy, a setting that became the backdrop when Osman was unable to travel there. He describes the process of envisioning the house, beach, and the iconic pine alley that leads to the house, and how the characters came to life, including one who was based on someone who intimidated him. The narrative delves into the exploration of space and the characters' relationship, emphasizing the importance of authenticity over a picturesque imagination.

🎬 Adapting the Novel to Film

The director and co-producer of the movie adaptation of 'Call Me By Your Name' share insights into the adaptation process. They discuss the challenges of translating the intimate and personal experiences of the characters into a collective experience for the audience. The director recounts a particular scene involving a fruit, which initially seemed implausible but was later confirmed as possible through personal experimentation. The film strives to present a brutal and honest portrayal of the characters' relationship without censorship, aiming to serve as a model for a happy romance.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Andre Osman

Andre Osman is the author of the novel 'Call Me By Your Name'. The name is significant as it represents the creative origin of the story that the video discusses. In the script, Osman shares his personal experience of writing the novel, which is set in Italy, and how it was inspired by his own life and emotions.

💡Call Me By Your Name

This is both the title of the novel and the movie adaptation discussed in the video. It is a central concept as the entire narrative revolves around the themes and plot of this story. The title itself suggests an intimate connection and the exploration of identity and love, as seen in the script where the author and director discuss the development of the characters' relationship.

💡Love

Love is a fundamental theme in the video, as it explores the romantic relationship between two individuals of different ages. The script describes this love as 'unpredictable' yet enduring, emphasizing its profound impact on the characters' lives and serving as a model for a 'happy romance'.

💡Nino

Nino is mentioned as the director and co-producer of the movie adaptation of 'Call Me By Your Name'. His role is pivotal as he translates the written narrative into a visual medium, and in the script, he discusses the challenges and creative decisions involved in adapting the novel for the screen.

💡Italy

Italy is the setting of both the novel and the movie, and it plays a significant role in shaping the atmosphere and cultural context of the story. The script mentions how the author's inability to travel to Italy inspired him to write a novel set there, and the director's efforts to authentically represent the Italian setting in the film.

💡Space and Figure

The concept of 'space and figure' refers to the relationship between the physical environment and the characters within the story. The script discusses how the author and director considered the setting deeply to enhance the narrative, ensuring that the environment was more than just a backdrop but an integral part of the characters' experiences.

💡Fruit

The fruit in the script is used metaphorically and literally, symbolizing sensuality and the awakening of sexual desire. It is mentioned in the context of a scene where the boy character interacts with a fruit in a provocative manner, which becomes a point of discussion about the film's portrayal of sexuality.

💡Ethylene D

Ethylene D is mentioned in the script as a reference to a lush, fruitful setting that is characteristic of summer in Italy. It represents the abundance and vibrancy of the environment, which contrasts with the more common 'postcard' imagery and contributes to the authenticity of the story's setting.

💡Physical Act

The 'physical act' refers to a specific sexual encounter depicted in both the novel and the film. The script reveals that the director questioned the feasibility of this act, which led to a personal experiment to confirm its possibility. This highlights the film's commitment to realistic portrayals of intimacy.

💡Collective Experience

The term 'collective experience' is used in the script to describe the goal of making the individual experiences of the characters relatable to a wider audience. The director aims to translate personal, intimate moments into a shared emotional journey that viewers can connect with.

💡Banning of Sexual Proclivity

The script mentions the absence of 'banning of any sexual proclivity' in the story, emphasizing an inclusive and non-judgmental approach to the characters' sexual identities and relationships. This reflects a broader theme of acceptance and diversity within the narrative.

Highlights

Andre Osman is the author of the novel 'Call Me by Your Name'.

The novel explores the love story between two individuals, one 17 and the other 24 years old.

The love story unfolds unpredictably and has a lasting impact on their lives.

The novel was inspired by the author's inability to travel to Italy in April 2005.

The setting of the novel is Italy, with a house, beach, and a pine alley.

The author introduces a character who was intimidating and older, which adds complexity to the story.

The author's hometown is used as the setting for the movie adaptation.

The relationship between space and character is deeply investigated in the adaptation.

The adaptation avoids a postcard-like imagination of Italy, focusing on the lush summer setting.

A scene involving a fruit and its symbolic use is described, which was initially questioned by the director.

The director had to personally verify the physical possibility of a scene involving the fruit.

The challenge of making an individual experience collective through the film's imagery is discussed.

Both the novel and the film avoid accidents, death, or any banning of sexual proclivity.

The story serves as a model for a happy romance, emphasizing the relationship between two individuals.

The film's music adds to the emotional depth of the narrative.