Sony Pictures has been criticised for ‘straight-washing’ Call Me By Your Name.
The critically-acclaimed movie tells the story of Elio (Timothée Chalamet) who falls in love with Oliver, (Armie Hammer), an American academic who comes to stay at his family’s home in Italy during the summer of 1983.
However, in a tweet sent on Tuesday, production company Sony Pictures attempted to promote the movie by using a photo of Elio alongside Marzia (Esther Garrel), a female friend he hooks up with while longing for Oliver.
The promotional tweet also features the words “A romance overwhelming in its intensity, a heart that swells until it has to burst,” which many have taken as an attempt to ‘straight-wash’ the movie’s predominant same-sex romance.
The tweet was quickly deleted, but not before Sony was slated by Twitter users for its questionable marketing strategy.
Pretty offensive and disingenuous, @SonyPicturesUK, to try and sell this gay romantic film as heterosexual. What are you afraid of? Be proud
— Miss Vera Kosvänye (@joshzinn) November 7, 2017
@SonyPicturesUK disgusted to see your attitude towards the film "Call me by your name" I might stop watching other Sony pictures in protest.
— Millfield61 🏳️🌈 (@millfield61) November 7, 2017
Why are you making it look like a heterosexual romantic film? Erasure in advertising to appeal to the mass market, hm?🤔
— Joe Dimmock🏳️🌈 (@joedimmock) November 7, 2017
Sony straight-washing "Call Me By Your Name" is a reminder that Hollywood still doesn't know how to market queer film.
h/t @benfraserlee pic.twitter.com/pyUqmAcaf3
— Nico Lang (@Nico_Lang) November 7, 2017
One Twitter user compared the image to posters that were used to promote gay romance Brokeback Mountain in 2005, which suggested that the film was about a love story between two straight couples.
I remember this game. pic.twitter.com/RP2AQGI7hb
— Anthony Oliveira (@meakoopa) November 7, 2017
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