Few moments in Call Me by Your Name stay with people as strongly as the final scene. Elio sits in front of the fireplace, listening to Oliver’s phone call echo in his mind while Sufjan Stevens’ “Visions of Gideon” plays. The camera does not move away. The shot continues even as the end credits begin.
Final scene – Call Me by Your Name
It is one of the most memorable endings in recent cinema, but the way it was filmed is surprisingly simple.
A single uninterrupted shot
The scene was filmed as one long take. Director Luca Guadagnino and cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom chose not to cut away from Elio’s face. The camera stays still, allowing the moment to unfold in real time.
The shot lasts for almost four minutes. Nothing dramatic happens on the surface: Elio looks into the fire, his expression shifting as he processes what has just happened. But the lack of editing is precisely what gives the scene its intensity.
Guadagnino explained that he wanted the audience to remain with Elio instead of escaping the moment through cuts or changes of perspective.
Three different takes
According to Timothée Chalamet, the scene was filmed three times. Each take was very different emotionally.
“There were three takes, and they were all wildly different. I’m so happy with the one Luca chose, because it feels like the most truthful version of what Elio was going through.”
Guadagnino ultimately selected the take that felt the most honest and restrained. Instead of pushing the emotion outward, the performance stays internal, almost as if the audience is witnessing a private moment.
Listening to the music during the scene
While filming, Chalamet was wearing a small earpiece. Through it he could hear Sufjan Stevens’ “Visions of Gideon,” the same piece that plays in the final version of the film.
The music helped guide the rhythm of the performance. Rather than reacting to cues from the crew, Chalamet followed the flow of the song as the scene progressed.
This allowed the emotional shifts in his expression to align naturally with the music.
The scene continues through the credits
Another unusual decision was to keep the shot going even after the credits begin to roll. The camera does not move, and Elio remains in the frame while the names appear.
Guadagnino has said that he wanted the film to end without breaking the moment. Instead of cutting to black immediately, the audience stays with Elio as he sits in front of the fire, letting the final emotions settle.
The result is a closing scene that feels both intimate and unguarded — the film simply stays with Elio instead of reaching for a dramatic ending.
Featured image: Film still from Call Me by Your Name (2017) © Sony Pictures.