Super Energetic Smart Kids

When he was in his twenties, Italian film director, producer and screenwriter Luca Guadagnino (1971) once asked Tilda Swinton at a press conference whether she would act in his debut film. The film that ensued was The Protagonists (1999): a disquieting film with documentary elements about a real-life murder they were both obsessed with at that time. In relation to this film, they will reflect on the question 'how far do you go for art?'. After The Protagonists they would go on to make another three films together: Io sono l'amore (2009), A Bigger Splash (2015) and Suspiria (2018).

Guadagnino’s films are characterised by emotional complexity, eroticism and opulent visuals. Guadagnino also made a name for himself with films such as Call Me by Your Name (2017). Guadagnino’s most recent project is a film about cult author and junkie William Burroughs, Queer (2024). Guadagnino has received countless awards, including a Silver Lion (Venice Film Festival), and has been nominated for an Oscar and three BAFTAs.

This evening, Guadagnino and Swinton will talk about their many collaborations.