The Protagonists

An Italian film crew travels to London to produce a documentary about a murder committed several years prior. The project examines a case where two wealthy teenagers killed a motorist for their own pleasure, attempting to vanish into anonymity after the crime. While reconstructing the events, a first-time director and a well-known actress explore the motivations behind the senseless act.

This 1999 production marks the first of 13 films directed by Luca Guadagnino, who also wrote the screenplay. The cast features Tilda Swinton as the actress, alongside Fabrizia Sacchi, Andrew Tiernan, Claudio Gioè, Paolo Briguglia, and Michelle Hunziker. The movie was a joint effort between production companies in Italy and the United Kingdom, including Medusa Film, Surf Film, and TELE+.

The film has received a moderate reception from viewers, holding a rating of 5.3/10 on IMDb based on 1,000 votes and an identical score of 5.3/10 on TMDB from 38 votes. This crime drama and thriller served as the starting point for Guadagnino's career before he moved on to his next project, The Making of Lotus, in 2003.