A24 has released the official trailer for Queer, the highly-anticipated new film by Academy Award-nominated director Luca Guadagnino, set to hit Irish cinemas on December 13, 2024. This latest work from the visionary director behind Call Me By Your Name and Bones and All dives into the complexities of queer love, alienation, and self-discovery, set against the backdrop of 1950s Mexico City.

Based on the novel by William S. Burroughs, Queer tells the story of William Lee (Daniel Craig), who drifts through life in self-imposed isolation. Living a solitary existence consumed by an inner loneliness, he is disrupted by the arrival of Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), a fellow American and former soldier who also seems to be seeking something indefinable in this foreign city.

Allerton’s appearance stirs something new within Lee. As their relationship deepens, Lee begins to confront his own desires and the fragility of intimacy in a society that neither understands nor embraces it.

The trailer itself sets us up for the relationship between the two, hinting at explicit intimate scenes. In one scene Daniel Craig’s character can be heard saying “I want to talk to you. Without speaking.”

The overall style of the film seems to be saturated in an Edward Hopper painting. The trailer is set against the backdrop of the late Sinéad O’Connor, singing a cover of ‘All Apologies’ by Nirvana.

The lead roles are brought to life by an impressive cast, headlined by Daniel Craig, known for his intense performances and nuanced portrayals, alongside Drew Starkey. They are joined by a remarkable supporting cast, including Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville, as well as Jason Schwartzman, Henrique Zaga, Omar Apollo, Andra Ursuta, Andres Duprat, Ariel Shulman, Drew Droege, Michael Borremans, David Lowery, Lisandro Alonso, and Colin Bates. 

Queer had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion. Later, it premiered in the US at the New York Film Festival in the Spotlight Gala slot, where it drew considerable attention.

Even before Queer‘s trailer was released, critics have been praising Guadagnino’s bold direction and the film’s raw portrayal of queer intimacy. The Daily Telegraph described the film as “Soul-swellingly lush and allusive… Daniel Craig is sensational in a role swimming in psychological complexity”.