Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino criticizes the “censorship” of his film “Queer” in Türkiye

The Turkish authorities banned a screening of his feature film at the beginning of November, planned to open a film festival in Istanbul.

“It’s obtuse censorship, especially in this world where it’s possible to download the film.” Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino criticized on Saturday November 30 the recent ban on his film Queer in Türkiye, saying he was ready to fight “any institution wanting to tarnish power” cinema, on the sidelines of the Marrakech film festival.

The Turkish authorities banned a screening of his feature film at the beginning of November, planned to open a film festival in Istanbul “on the grounds that it contained provocative content, likely to disturb public order”according to the organizers who decided to cancel the event in protest.

Inspired by a novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs, Queer traces the adventures mixing sex, drugs and alcohol of an American (played by former agent 007, Daniel Craig) who falls in love with a young compatriot in post-war Mexico City. “I wonder if they’ve seen the film or if they’re judging it based on its general outlines or the facetious stupidity of certain journalists who focused on ‘James Bond turned gay'”replied the Italian director to a question from AFP during a press conference of the jury of the Marrakech festival, which he chairs.

“I really hope they believe that the [sujet] of the film can lead to the collapse of society. Because it means that my belief in the power of cinema is true and not delusional.”added the director of Call me by your name.