Luca Guadagnino

Luca Guadagnino
Guadagnino in 2017
Born	(1971-08-10) 10 August 1971 (age 52) Palermo, Italy
Alma mater	Sapienza University of Rome
Occupations	Film director film producer screenwriter
Years active	1997–present
Partner	Ferdinando Cito Filomarino (2009–2020)

Luca Guadagnino (Italian: [ˈluːka ɡwadaɲˈɲiːno]; born 10 August 1971) is an Italian film director and producer.^[1] His films are characterized by their emotional complexity, eroticism, and sumptuous visuals. He is known for his frequent collaborations with actors Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson, Timothée Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg.

Born in Palermo, Guadagnino spent part of his childhood in Ethiopia, but the family moved back to Italy to escape the Ethiopian Civil War. Guadagnino began his career directing short films and documentaries. He made his feature-film debut with The Protagonists (1999), the first of his many collaborations with Swinton. His follow-up Melissa P. (2005), based on the book of Melissa Panarello, was a commercial success in Italy but was met with mixed critical reception.

Guadagnino gained further acclaim with his Desire trilogy, which consists of the films I Am Love (2009), A Bigger Splash (2015), and Call Me by Your Name (2017). The latter brought him international recognition and marked the start of his creative partnership with Chalamet. Suspiria (2018), a remake of the 1977 film, was Guadagnino's first foray into the horror genre. It was a box office failure and polarized critics. Guadagnino's next projects were We Are Who We Are (2020), a coming-of-age miniseries for HBO, the romantic horror film Bones and All (2022), and the romantic sports film Challengers (2024). Over his career Guadagnino has received numerous accolades, including a Silver Lion, alongside nominations for an Academy Award and three BAFTA Awards.

Guadagnino directed several documentaries including Bertolucci on Bertolucci (2013) and Salvatore: The Shoemaker of Dreams (2020). Aside from filmmaking, he has been involved in the world of fashion, directing advertisements for brands like Fendi and Salvatore Ferragamo. In 2012, Guadagnino founded the production company Frenesy Film Company. He also produced Belluscone: A Sicilian Story (2014), The Truffle Hunters (2020), Salvatore: The Shoemaker of Dreams (2020), Holiday, and Enea (2023).