Luca Guadagnino has been intriguing fans with one mind-bending film after another. His recent features such as Challengers and Bones and All have won the audience and critics’ favor for their unique storytelling, emotional complexities and diversity of characters in every sense. Now the celebrated filmmaker is bringing another romance drama starring Daniel Craig, titled Queer, the movie will make its world premiere at the upcoming Venice Film Festival, and we finally have the first look at it.

The new image unveiled by the festival’s X account doesn’t feature Craig but gives us a taste of 1940s Mexico, setting the tone of the historical drama. Much like his other films, Queer seems bright and picturesque as we see a bustling street lined up with vendors and regular people.

What’s ‘Queer’ About?

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The feature, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs, is adapted for the screen by Justin Kuritzkes, who also penned Guadagnino’s sports romance Challengers. The short novel follows William Lee, living life in Mexico City. The character represents Burrough’s own life, as the book tells the awkward and self-conscious Lee’s experience surviving on part-time jobs while interacting with American ex-pat college students and bar owners. Things take a turn when Lee pursues a young man by the name of Allerton. While most details about the film are kept tightly under wraps, the log line gives us some insight:

Set in 1940s Mexico City, it follows Lee who, after fleeing from a drug bust in New Orleans, wanders around the city’s clubs and becomes infatuated with drug user Allerton, a discharged American Navy serviceman.

Guadagnino has given us some heart-wrenching romantic dramas in the past like Challengers, Bones and All, and Call Me By Your Name. His command of interpreting the most complex emotions in the most lucid ways has always promised a compelling story and performances. With Craig at the helm of Queer, this will be an intriguing drama.

Craig is supported in the cast by Drew Starkey as Allerton, Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Henry Zaga as Winston Moor, Michael Borremans, Andra Ursuța and David Lowery. Also rounding off the cast are Drew Droege, Ariel Schulman, Lisandro Alonso, David Lowery, Ronia Ava, Simon Rizzoni, Ford Leland, Sean Cubito, and more.

Queer is set to make its premiere at the upcoming Venice Film Festival before opening wide at a later date. You can check out the new image above.

via Collider