Exploring the nature of desire in Andre Aciman’s Call Me By Your Name: from page to screen by Luca Guadagnino

Abstract

Adapted by James Ivory from Andre Aciman's 2007 novel, and directed by Luca Guadagnino, 2017 film “Call Me By Your Name” is recognized for its sensual rendering on the romantic love between the seventeen-years-old musical prodigy Elio and twenty four years old doctoral student Oliver. Both the film and the novel are masterful depictions of pure and unflinching nature of desire. Both the novel and movie depicts a wild romp between two same sex lovers in an enticing sexual setting of Italy. CMBYN is a coming of age of seventeen years old boy who unapologetically embrace his bizarre nature of desire. This film and novel both are the pinnacle of desire, depicting love in its truest form. This is an unrequited love story about two people who pursue two distinct paths in life, yet the essence of their desire remains indelible. CMBYN is journey from an unabashed tale of desire to an emotional abyss. This paper aims to delve into Elio's plethora of desires, his voyage towards this twisted skein of desire and best out of his desire. As Aciman’s novel is adapted for screen by Luca Guadagnino, I will examine whether the film does enough justice to the text or not.