After being attached to the project for three years, Chalamet starred in Luca Guadagnino's "Call Me by Your Name", based on the novel of the same name, by André Aciman. The story revolves around Elio Perlman, a young man living in Italy during the 1980s, who falls in love with Oliver (Armie Hammer), a university student who has come to stay with his family. In preparation for the role, Chalamet learned to speak Italian, as well as to play the piano and guitar. "Call Me by Your Name" premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim; critics particularly highlighted Chalamet's performance. Olly Richards of "Empire" wrote, "In a film in which every performance is terrific, Chalamet makes the rest look like they're acting. He alone would make the film worth watching". Jon Frosch of "The Hollywood Reporter" stated that no performance during the year "felt as emotionally, physically and intellectually alive" and included Chalamet in the magazine's list of the best performances of the year. "Time" also called Chalamet's performance one of the best of the year, while "The New York Times" featured him on its list of the best actors of the year. For his performance in the film, he won the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead, and received nominations for the Critics' Choice Movie Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, BAFTA Award, and Academy Award, all for Best Actor. He is the third-youngest person in history to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor as well as the youngest since 19-year-old Mickey Rooney in "Babes in Arms" in 1939.