The cannibalistic romance “Bones and All” is having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it is one of the competition titles.
The cannibalistic romance “Bones and All” is having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it is one of the competition titles.
Timothée Chalamet felt cut off from the world in the early days of the pandemic. Then Luca Guadagnino, whom Chalamet saw as a father during the shooting of “Call Me By Your Name”, called with a new potential project. This would be another youthful romance set in the 1980s. But instead of Italy they will be going to the American Midwest. And they will be cannibals.
The film, “Bones and All,” is having its world premiere Friday night at the Venice Film Festival, where it is one of the competition titles. Chalamet and Guadagnino gathered to discuss the film with the cast before the premiere.
It’s a significant departure for the Italian director of films like “A Bigger Splash” and “I’m Love,” the first time Guadagnino has made an American film—something he’s wanted to do for a while. Then his longtime collaborator, screenwriter David Kajganich, came to him with an adaptation of Camille DeAngelis’s young adult novel and saw an opportunity in it to make a film about identity and exclusion.
“I was dying to work with Luca again and tell a story that was frozen,” said Chalamet, who had taken a break from shooting “Doon 2” to appear in Venice. Fans gathered around the docks of Hotel Excelsior to catch a glimpse of the star, who stopped to take a few selfies.
In “Bones and All”, Chalamet did more than just act: he helped move his character Lee from an “alpha jock” to a “broken soul”, which he said was very appealing to him, and on film. Received a producer credit as well.
“Luca is the father with me and guided me through that process this time,” he said. “I can’t say that I was helpful with organizing the schedule or anything like that. But it’s something I want to continue with.”
Chalamet’s character is a supporting part of the film’s lead Maran, coming to terms with his inane insistence. She is played by “Waves” actor Taylor Russell, a newcomer to the Guadagnino family as regulars such as Michael Stuhlberg, a fearful cannibal they meet on the street, and Chlo Sevigny.
“It’s Taylor’s film, she does an incredible job with it,” Chalamet said.
Discussions of their characters, and the loneliness they feel in the world, prompted both to think about what it means to be young in the moment.
“Can’t imagine growing up with the onslaught of social media,” Chalamet said. “I think it’s hard to survive now. I think social collapse is in the air. It smells. And without showing off, I hope that’s the reason these movies matter, because the cast’s role is like this. The point is to shed light on what is going on.”
Russell said, “It’s so scary. The hope is that you can find your own compass within all of this.”
The film also features a new score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who was challenged by Guadagnino to “find the sound of the road trip” and “the sound of the American landscape”. And it’s filled with music from 1980s Joy Division, New Order, and even KISS, which were selected from a box of cassette tapes that Kajganich received when she was a teenager.
“Whoever made me smile or cry, they made it into the script,” Kazganich said.
“Bones and All” opens in North American theaters on November 23.