Hey, actually no, Elio is on his bed the entire time, not looking out the window. I cut out the parts where we see Elio in the bed that are at the same time as when Oliver is outside. But your interpretation of why Luca uses the camera angle like that is spot-on: we and Elio see Oliver only from a distance for the beginning part of the movie. Not literally, of course. Elio is up close with him several times (volleyball scene; losing his balance on his bike and falling into Oliver). But he does, of course, actively look at Oliver from afar a bunch of times, including the very first time he sees Oliver. And when he IS close to him physically, he is confused by the way Oliver acts. Oliver is “distant” from him even when up close. But in terms of the literal set-up for this scene, no Elio is not looking at him from the window. He may as well be, since he is obviously fantasizing about him. And I believe that is why Luca has Armie do something so non-chalantly sexy as wiping his torso off of sweat with Billowy. We are experiencing that distant visual of sexiness just like Elio is in his own fantasy, if you will. BTW I love your interpretation of how Oliver is a real person, flesh and blood, and not just a fantasy, and how this scene shows that in a funny, embarrassing way for Elio. He maybe doesn’t need to just act on a fantasy but experience spending time with Oliver, who clearly wants to spend time with him. And maybe it will lead somewhere. ❤️

Oh wow! The Universe sitting back, chilling on the sofa, glass in hand, smirking “next year you guys…”

WOOAH

😢😢😢

It’s so heartwarming to hear him saying this and see Armie’s reaction! Oh, Sweeties! Love is love is love, really!

😭😭😭

This is what killed me that night. Honestly. I’ve never seen anyone look so lovestruck in my whole damn life. Amazing.

“If he knew, if he only knew that I was giving him every chance to put two and two together and come up with a number bigger than infinity.” ― André Aciman, Call Me by Your Name