Luca Guadagnino’s film Queer, featuring actors Daniel Craig, Omar Apollo, and Drew Starkey, has garnered critical acclaim yet faced an unexpected setback by being entirely omitted from the 2025 BAFTA nominations. Homophobia, some cry. Just not that good, say others.
Written by Justin Kuritzkes, Queer is set in 1950s Mexico City, where it focuses on William Lee, portrayed by Craig. Lee is depicted as an outcast American expatriate grappling with addiction and profound loneliness, whose obsession with a much younger man, played by Starkey, propels the narrative into a deeper exploration of desire and emotional disintegration. This narrative thread navigates the complexities of love and longing, highlighting the nuances of queer experiences during a time marked by societal repression.
The film’s supporting cast includes the likes of Jason Schwartzman, Henry Zaga, Omar Apollo, and Lesley Manville, all contributing to what has been described as a bold representation of queer relationships. Critics and audiences have praised Queer for its raw and unflinching depiction of intimacy and vulnerability, by which you should read explicit sex scenes.
Despite the film’s strong reception on an international stage, its failure to get itself any BAFTA nominations stands in stark contrast to Emilia Pérez, another film exploring LGBTQ+ themes that achieved 11 nominations. This discrepancy has reignited conversations regarding the industry’s recognition and celebration of films that engage with queerness outside of mainstream narratives. Or could it be that Emilia Perez is bold and frankly quite strange while Queer is frankly quite tiresome to watch?
Examining the history of Daniel Craig with BAFTA, it is noted that his recognitions have been few. He has only received a single nomination for Casino Royale in 2006 and his supporters argue that his performance in Queer, which has been described as one of his most vulnerable and transformative, deserved acknowledgment from the awards body.
Guadagnino, known for his distinctive narrative style—exemplified in works such as the brilliant Call Me by Your Name—imbues Queer with lush visuals, atmospheric cinematography, and emotionally resonant sequences but somehow creates a film that seems artificial and studio-bound.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2024/12/02/daniel-craig-drew-starkey-and-omar-apollo-discuss-queer/ – Corroborates the cast of ‘Queer’ including Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, and Omar Apollo, and the film’s setting in 1950s Mexico City.
- https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2024/12/02/daniel-craig-drew-starkey-and-omar-apollo-discuss-queer/ – Provides details about the plot and characters, including William Lee’s struggles with addiction and loneliness.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTa0mXqYo50 – Supports the involvement of Luca Guadagnino as the director and the actors’ experiences working on the film.
- https://www.out.com/film/daniel-craig-omar-apollo-queer – Corroborates Omar Apollo’s role and his comments on the explicit scenes in the film.
- https://www.out.com/film/daniel-craig-omar-apollo-queer – Highlights the film’s focus on queer relationships and the praise for its raw and unflinching depiction of intimacy and vulnerability.
- https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2024/12/02/daniel-craig-drew-starkey-and-omar-apollo-discuss-queer/ – Mentions the film’s release in NY and LA theaters and its subsequent nationwide release, indicating its critical and public reception.
- https://www.out.com/film/daniel-craig-omar-apollo-queer – Discusses the film’s bold representation of queer relationships and the contributions of the supporting cast.
- https://www.out.com/film/daniel-craig-omar-apollo-queer – Touches on the film’s themes of desire, emotional disintegration, and the nuances of queer experiences in the 1950s.
- https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2024/12/02/daniel-craig-drew-starkey-and-omar-apollo-discuss-queer/ – Describes Luca Guadagnino’s narrative style and the film’s visual and atmospheric elements.
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