"Queer," directed by Luca Guadagnino and based on William S. Burroughs' novel, stars Daniel Craig as a drug-addicted writer known for casual sex and strong liquor, featuring explicit gay sex scenes and exploring sexual escapades and heroin use candidly.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival to mixed reviews, exploring themes of queerness, fragility, and vulnerability in love, set in 1950s Mexico City, with a strong supporting cast and a screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes.
Craig's performance and the cinematography were praised, though the film received mixed reviews overall, with Guadagnino blending drug-taking and sex in a surreal manner, creating a visually striking metaphor for love and connection.
Daniel Craig and his co-star Drew Starkey danced together to build a connection before filming intimate scenes, aiming to make the sex scenes fun, touching, real, and natural, with the help of choreographer Paul Lightfoot.
"Queer" is generating buzz as a potential Golden Lion contender and Hollywood awards season prospect, with Guadagnino praising Craig's performance and willingness to take on any required role.
Guadagnino commented on Craig's James Bond image, saying Bond's ability to carry out missions effectively is more important than his sexuality.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: BBC, Independent, Time, O Globo, CNN Brasil, Yahoo, Sentinel Colorado, NME, Tribune, Hindustan Times, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Nazione, Mandatory, Contactmusic, Tiscali, UOL, Live India, Il Tempo, PinkNews, TVN-2, Le Devoir, Hollywood Reporter, Variety