Call Me by Your Name press conference with Armie Hammer, Timothée Chamalet and Luca Guadagnino

Call Me by Your Name is the latest picture from Italian director Luca Guadagnino. At the London Film Festival press conference, Armie Hammer, who plays the role of Oliver in the film, explained to the room that he wished to take up the challenge of the character to answer a question once asked of him.

“Do you want to become an artist? Don’t you want to participate in movies that will challenge you and help you grow? It is because of these motivations that I couldn’t be more comfortable playing this part”.

The actor also jokily told the room that aside from working with the fantastic cast around him, his relationship and chemistry with Timothée Chamalet, who plays his opposite character Elio, blossomed easily through the weeks building up to shooting thanks to the culture that surrounded them – and some good pasta.

When asked whether he believed this picture may inspire a younger audience to take more chances with love, Chamalet gave a beautiful response, stating that it would be fantastic if the film could offer that hope and belief to young people that being in love isn’t a dangerous thing. If it can inspire one person to take that leap then that is brilliant, but the film is open to all interpretations and not just one message.

Esther Garrel thought her character came more easily to her than it may have done to others because she felt at home in the filming location and all of the cast believed that the setting of the film also played a crucial role in the pictures substance, almost being another character in the movie itself.

Director Luca Guadagnino was lavished with praise from his cast, with compliments saying that being able to work with him on such a wonderful film gave them all the opportunity to push their own boundaries in a piece of art. Likewise, the Italian director thanked all of his cast members, stating that the film would not have been possible without them and their flexibility in relation to his directorial methods and vision.

Guy Lambert
Video: Filippo L’Astorina

Call Me by Your Name is released nationwide on 27^th October 2017. Read our review here.

Read more reviews and interviews from our London Film Festival 2017 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the official BFI website here.