Meet Duccio Chiarini at a Q&A Friday October 9 at 7:15: Cinema Village, 22 E. 12th St. New York, NY.
Short Skin, or I Dolori Del Giovane Edo as it’s called in Italy, opens in New York City on October 9.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS AND SHOWTIMES
As if sexuality isn’t awkward enough for teenagers, poor Edoardo’s embarrassing medical condition makes normal relationships with girls seem hopeless in director Duccio Chiarini sensitively crafted coming of age story, using phimosis, a congenital deformity of the penis as the teen’s barrier to happiness.
For those who remember and loved the American TV show ‘The Wonder Years’, Chiarini employs a similar device in which a boy and his point of view are in sharp focus and those around him are intentionally peripheral.
“Edoardo is the main hero and the others who surround him are described according to his perception”, says Chiarini.
And that really works, because Edo’s malformed penis is all he can focus on, and his bickering parents, annoying little sister, and best friend are all just background noise he wishes he could turn off. The neighbor girl is like a dream that’s just beyond his reach. He’s deformed; his life is ruined.
All in all, Short skin is clever, funny, and real; he’s got the teenage look and talk right. And it’s about far more than just young Edo’s dick. Sex, everyone’s having it but, even for the family dog, and it’s more than just recreational. And it’s about growing up, change, and the fear of all that stuff that adults forget teenagers are afraid of. I told Chiarini that I was impressed with his authentic dialogue; the kids sound like real kids.
“I think that because I have a good memory and exactly remember the way we spoke with my friends. Maybe the way we still speak…”
If that’s the case, he should do more movies about teenagers!
It’ll take a kindly prostitute, a punk rock girl, and a practical doctor to rescue Edo from his terrible fate, and I’m not spoiling anything to tell you that he is, of course, rescued. This is a comedy, not a tragedy.
But it’s no After School Special either. The nudity is pretty graphic – practically everyone in the movie is taking a look at Edo’s penis – and After School Specials usually encourage kids to keep it in their pants, not tell them to “get out there and use it”.
“No one brought this up in Italy and no, I am not afraid about American audience”, Chiarini told me. “I am sure they will understand…”
What does he want us to know about his movie? “That is a very personal story about love and becoming adults.” And so it is.
I asked him to tell me a bit about himself, “Hot girlfriend? Hot wife? Hot boyfriend? Kids? Pets? Unusual hobbies?”
“Nothing to declare”, he said.
Maybe you can get more out of him when you meet him in New York this coming Friday at the
See the film and stick around for the Q&A!
Cast
Matteo Creatini – Edoardo
Francesca Agostini – Bianca
Nicola Nocchi – Arturo
Miriana Raschillà – Elisabetta
Bianca Ceravolo – Olivia
Bianca Nappi – Daniela
Michele Crestacci – Roberto
Francesco Acquaroli – Dottore
I Love Italian Everything 