Guadagnino’s ‘After the Hunt’ to Open NYFF

Remember Call Me By Your Name? That sun-drenched, peach-ruining masterpiece that made us all question our life choices? Yeah, Luca Guadagnino's back—but this time, he's not serving up wistful romance. After the Hunt looks like a full-course meal of discomfort, and NYFF just RSVP'd first.

But here's the thing: Guadagnino chose this. Skipped Telluride. Dodged Toronto. Took an out-of-competition slot at Venice like he's too cool for points. Either he's supremely confident… or he knows something we don't.

The film's plot? Julia Roberts as a Yale professor hosting a dinner party that goes horrifically wrong. Next day, a student (Ayo Edebiri) accuses Andrew Garfield's character of assault. Roberts spends the rest of the film playing detective while her own skeletons rattle in the closet. Dark? Yep. Messy? Probably. Oscar bait? Oh, definitely.

And the cast? Stacked. Roberts, Garfield, Edebiri, Chloë Sevigny, Michael Stuhlbarg—this isn't a movie, it's a Vanity Fair spread. But let's be real: after Challengers and Queer, Guadagnino's either on a hot streak or due for a faceplant.

NYFF's main slate is notoriously picky. Guadagnino's only made it once before (Call Me By Your Name), and even that was a fight. The selection committee apparently had opinions. Now he's back, but not in competition—just a fancy North American premiere.

Why? Maybe he's avoiding direct competition. Maybe Amazon/MGM pushed for NYFF's prestige. Or maybe—just maybe—he knows the film's divisive. Test screenings in December were… tense. Word is, it's less Big Little Lies and more Anatomy of a Fall—all moral ambiguity and no easy answers.

So, is this a power move or a retreat? Guadagnino's playing the long game, but NYFF's a risky opener. If the film flops, it's a very public stumble. If it soars? Well, Julia Roberts might finally get that second Oscar.

Either way, mark your calendars: October 10. That's when After the Hunt hits screens—and when we find out if Guadagnino's still got it, or if he's just really good at hiding the cracks.

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