Fireworks

SPOILER ALERT- Based on the tender loving relationship of two adolescents who find each other by accident (literally!!) and set around two neighbouring towns the young men hail from, we have the incredible beauty of the Italian countryside in summer and the beauty of youth and falling in love, contrasted against the vicious homophobic prejudices and violence that exist in their families and Sicilian community, and their hardscrabble working lives.One (Gianni) lives with his mother in her partner’s house (at his mercy) and is already victimised and subject to brutality. The other (Nino) is still in the loving warmth of his extended family….until things turn.The family’s business is in fireworks. Set in 1982, at the time of the World Cup (which Italy ended up winning) you watch it a chill knowing destruction is not far. And to know it was based around a true event in Sicily in 1980, makes the horror real. But Guiseppe Fiorello’s film has a wider canvas than the simplistic DVD photo suggests. He shows the whole ethos from which both the community spirit and the cruelty comes. Outsiders are not welcome and that includes their own if they break the norm.But as Nino’s younger, more understanding Uncle tells him, when his family find out: “if you keep it a secret you can do it for a 100 years”, so hypocrisy also rules.The two young leads are superb. But even the smallest part is imbued with authenticity. Fiorello has real flair in his mise en scene. There is a small scene for example, in which Gianni who goes to work in a quarry, takes a lunch break, and there is a cutaway to his workers having lunch, joking and discussing football. If they were non professional actors, they were wonderfully coached to make the scene so natural and real, and if they were professional actors you’ d never know. The whole scene only lasts half a minute. The film is full of telling details like that. The whole movie, from the parents, uncle, sister, young nephew, to all the bullies, is wonderfully cast.Therefore a movie that offers lots of pleasure in spite of its crushing end. But even here the boys are defiant.Much of Italy may have moved on, but there are plenty of other countries where things certainly have not, including torture and murder.A fitting tribute though, to the two young men murdered in 1980. The end titles inform us in real life their names were Toni & Giorgio.

Very good romantic movir

This film stayed with me for days after watching it. Beautiful and horrific in equal measure. Great casting and performances.

quite an eye-opener plotline. but based on fact as too how other countries deal with homophobia. quite a sad ending