Love And Chewing Gum

Arianna Di Stefano

Italie / 2024 / Fiction / 13’7”I2505354

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SYNOPSIS

[EN] I'm 13 years old and the dietician told me I have to go on a diet. How am I supposed to kiss the prettiest girl in school? The thing is: How can I get her to like me if the first time I saw her on the school trip bus, I ended up throwing up on her? Anna is hands down the most stunning girl in our school, and not just in our middle school, but in all the middle schools in Italy. Actually, scratch that, she's the most beautiful girl in the entire world. However, despite her breathtaking appearance, Anna can't seem to appreciate herself when she looks in the mirror. While her classmates are already turning into young women, she still feels like a little girl. Maybe that's why Anna hasn't had her first kiss yet. And, truth be told, I haven't kissed a girl either because... well, girls don't seem to be interested in kissing me. They all flock towards Edoardo because he's incredibly good-looking. Edoardo is so handsome that every girl wants to lock lips with him, and he's more than willing to do it. He sends me as his messenger, and I always have to deliver the same line, which I've practically memorized by now. And without fail, the girls always say yes. And when they do, it brings a little bit of happiness to my heart. However, today isn't a great day for me. That phrase I've memorized by now, right? Well, today I have to say it to Anna. As I make my way to our usual spot, the school's fire escape, I can't help but think that this time it's just not fair. So, as I'm saying the usual line, suddenly I stop and say to her: "Hey, why don't you kiss me here for the first time instead?" Riccardo's heart holds only a few love leftovers: Red mini-pizzas, the sound of some memorized lines, and Anna. For Riccardo, love is like chewing gum: it's an amorphous substance that tastes like strawberry emulsifiers and is packed with saliva, sugar and excitement that you can only spit out in the end.

GÉNÉRIQUE