Marc Piasecki / WireImage
Luca Guadagnino is president of the jury of the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival, November 29, 2024.
CULTURE – At the beginning of November, the film “Queer” by the Italian director Luca Guadagnino was to open the Istanbul film festival. In the end, this did not happen: the Turkish authorities judged that the film presented content “provocative” likely to “disturbing public order”. This Saturday, November 30, Luca Guadagnino denounced to the AFP what he considers to be a form of censorship and affirmed his readiness to fight against “any institution seeking to weaken the power of cinema”.
Questioned on the sidelines of the Marrakech film festival, where he chairs the jury, the filmmaker declared: “I wonder if they’ve seen the film or if they’re judging it based on its broad outlines or the facetious stupidity of some journalists who focused on “James Bond became gay.”
“It’s obtuse censorship, especially in this world where it’s possible to download the film”added the director of “ Call me by your name » (2017). Also indignant, the festival organizers considered this act “constitutes a direct restriction of art and freedom of expression”, and immediately decided to cancel the entire movie gathering.
Do not tarnish “the power” of cinema
Inspired by a novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs, “ Queer » traces the adventures mixing sex, drugs and alcohol of a homosexual American (played by former agent 007 Daniel Craig) who falls in love with a young compatriot in post-war Mexico City. A desire which, however, will not be reciprocated. Despite this difference, the two men will set off together in search of a hallucinogenic plant which would confer telepathic gifts, as indicated in the synopsis.
“I really hope they believe that the (topic) 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.”underlined Luca Guadagnino. “I will fight against any institution that wants to tarnish the inevitable powers” cinema, he added.
The 21st edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival takes place from November 29 to December 7. The jury, chaired by Luca Guadagnino, notably includes the American actresses Patricia Arquette and French Virginie Efira, the Iranian director Ali Abbasi and the British actor Andrew Garfield.
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