Call Me by Your Name (2017) is a romantic drama directed by Luca Guadagnino, based on André Aciman’s 2007 novel. Set in the summer of 1983 in northern Italy, the film follows the blossoming relationship between 17-year-old Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer), a 24-year-old graduate student working as an intern for Elio’s father, an esteemed professor of archaeology.

Elio is a highly intelligent yet restless teenager who spends his summer transcribing music, reading, and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel). When Oliver arrives at their villa, Elio is initially annoyed by his confident, carefree demeanor. However, an intense attraction builds between them through shared intellectual conversations, playful teasing, and growing physical tension. As they explore the idyllic countryside together, their relationship turns into a passionate summer romance.

Their love is marked by secrecy and fleeting moments of intimacy, as both struggle with their feelings in a time when same-sex relationships were not openly accepted. Eventually, Oliver reciprocates Elio’s affections, and they share an intense, transformative affair. However, as summer ends, Oliver must return to the U.S., leaving Elio heartbroken. In a poignant final scene, Elio silently processes his grief by the fireplace, his tear-streaked face reflecting love and loss.

A critical and commercial success, Call Me by Your Name was praised for its lush cinematography, Sufjan Stevens’ melancholic soundtrack, and the deeply emotional performances of Chalamet and Hammer. The film won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (James Ivory) and became a defining queer love story, capturing the bittersweet essence of first love and the fleeting nature of desire.