Daniel Craig’s Queer Banned in Turkey, Luca Guadagnino Issues Statement

Luca Guadagnino’s next movie gay It was banned in Türkiye for being “too provocative,” a move Guadagnino said was made by those who wish to discredit the powers of cinema.

Guadagnino spoke about the move during the Marrakesh Film Festival jury press conference (via Variety). The director spoke about how the film was said to create “social disorder”, and praised the film for its ability to shatter household values.

What did Luca Guadagnino say about queer bans?

“They banned the film because they said the film creates social disorder,” Guadagnino said. “I wonder if they’ve seen the movie or are just judging it by the broad strokes or let’s say the ridiculous stupidity of some of the press focusing on James Bond turning gay.”

Guadagnino went on to praise the film as “something that shatters the house of our values ​​in a very powerful way,” and that he hopes the film form “brings the possibility of societal collapse.”

The director also went on to be upfront about his hopes for the film in the country, noting that people can download and “find stuff” for themselves if they so choose.

“You can download the movie. I mean if someone in Türkiye downloads the movie, I’m happy,” Luca said.

Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs, Justin Kuritzkes wrote the screenplay for Queer. The film’s cast includes Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Henry Zaga, and Omar Apollo. The film will be released nationwide starting December 13, 2024.

“1950. William Lee, an American expatriate in Mexico City, spends his days almost alone, except for some contacts with other members of the small American community. His encounter with Eugene Allerton, a former expatriate soldier, new in town, shows him, for the first time, that it may finally be possible to have an intimate relationship with someone.

Queer will be Guadagnino’s second film to be released in 2024 following Challengers, which hit U.S. theaters in April and stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist. Guadagnino’s filmography also includes 2015’s A Bigger Splash, 2017’s Call Me by Your Name, 2018’s Suspiria, and 2022’s Bones and All, among other titles.

(source: diverse)