Luca Guadagnino, a frequent participant in the Venice Film Festival, is presenting his latest film “Queer” starring Daniel Craig at the festival on Tuesday night. Last year, Guadagnino had to skip a grand red carpet premiere for “Challengers” due to a delay in its release because of an actors’ strike. However, he is returning with high expectations for “Queer,” which is an adaptation of a William S. Burroughs novel set in 1950s Mexico City, focusing on an American expat’s infatuation with a young male student.
The screenplay for “Queer” was penned by Justin Kuritzkes, based on a novel written by Burroughs in the 1950s but published posthumously in 1985. Guadagnino expressed his reverence for Burroughs in his directorial statement, aiming to honor the author’s legacy by bringing his second novel to the screen, decades after its creation. The film also features performances by Drew Starkey, Lesley Manville, and Jason Schwartzman, alongside Craig, who is receiving acclaim for his role described by festival director Alberto Barbera as “career-defining.” A24 has secured the rights for theatrical distribution of “Queer.”
As the 81st Venice Film Festival wraps up its final week, anticipation is high for the premiere of “Joker: Folie à Deux” on Wednesday. The festival has seen the attendance of numerous Hollywood stars like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, and Michael Keaton on the red carpet. The event has sparked discussions and debates around various films, including “Babygirl,” “Maria,” and the English-language work of Almodóvar, among others. Speculations on potential award winners will culminate in the presentation of awards on the festival’s closing day, September 7th.