The film received critical acclaim when it was released in 2009 (here is Queerguru’s review from back then)  now it will be re-released in UK on digital from April 14th 2025.

The storyline refers to Emma, a Russian-born member of the powerful industrial Milanese Recchi family. She is a foreigner, the proper wife of the textile fabric founder´s son and the tender mother of three, two sons and a daughter.  Recchi´s name is well known and respected, and in the clan, values and traditions are observed. Although comfort and riches, Emma´s life is lusterless and unfulfilled until changes come, among other things, through luscious dishes.

Mutability is a constant in the film, a cold and snowy winter melts into a hot – tempered scented summer and beyond, delicious flavors turn bitter, certainties vanish, what took years to be built by locals may go into foreign hands and the family´s oneness shatters.

The production is abundant in tastetul details, it remarks the excellence of Italian cinema tradition. Io sono l´amore reminded me of a Lucchino Visconti film and Luca Guadagnino´s name captured my attention as someone to follow ever since.

Superb casting includes actresses in state of grace, Tilda Swinton, Alba Rohrwacher, and  Maria Paiato, with the special appearence of Marisa Berenson. Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini and Pipo Delbono also star.  Based on a story by director Guadagnino,  and with the addition of John Adams music, Raf Simons for Jil Sanders clothes dressing Ms. Swinton and Fendi for the men, and historical input, add to the whole for a harmonious combination. .

The homosexual touch portraying daughter Betta in love with Angaharad is shown with delicacy as are other sequences of homoerotic rapport.  Mr. Guadagnino confirms his mastery depicting feelings of love and  portraing intimacy in this alla luce del sole.

Chance is also a protagonist in the story, but there are not  by chance the references  in specific contexts to Alfred Hitchcock´s Vertigo  and Jonathan Demme´s Philadelphia (Callas´ La Mama Morta).

As the plot develops and Recchi´s family members travel looking for the future, after London, an important event will take place at the  Art Deco villa they own in Milano.

As they say in the film, happy is a word that makes one sad.  In awe, we watch how grandmother´s Ukha soup can be the trigger for a tragedy.

A film to watch, digest and remember, it took eleven years in the making for producers Guadagnino and Swinton.