›› Glue - Colla ‹‹ a short film by Renato Muro. 2016 | 30 mins | Italy. a captivating exploration of burgeoning teenage sexuality. Dave says: There's a lush bright 'n' breezy feel to this short film from co-writer and director Renato Muro, of The Dummy fame. It tells the story of the developing friendship between Domenico (Giuseppe Orsillo); a rebellious youth whose relationship with his off-screen lover Marcello has overnight broken down beyond repair, and that of Lallo (Domenico Nappa); the younger brother of his best friend Antonio (Lucio Esposito Di Costanzo) who he turns to for somewhere to stay, only for Antonio to exit stage left almost immediately, leaving the two young men alone together. Bonding faster than the latest brand of all-stick glue, the two are determined to make the most of the day, along the way getting their kicks from taking vengeance - prank style, on Marcello over the breakdown of the relationship, to spending the evening in the company of Sara (Sara Carbone); a transsexual woman who says it like it is, having announced Lallo as Domenico's "new lover" - a comment that neither objects to, only to know that Lallo, not yet fourteen, is still too young for such a relationship, even if the seeds of his sexuality have been well and truly sown. In short, this is but a captivating exploration of burgeoning teenage sexuality, as the narrative focuses on the lives of two young men who spend their time enjoying the delights of possibility the last day of summer on Procida; a small Island in the gulf of Naples. Playing on that theme, Muro weaves a tale that reflects their carefree approach to the day, to the point that and like the boys, you're not quite sure just where their journey will take them as they drift from one episodic encounter to another; from riding bikes to swimming in the sea, that is when not getting high on the fumes of the title. Yet such events are but layers that come to bond the two together and just like the highs and lows of life, Muro contrasts the cinematography of his work; from scenes that are nearly too dark to see, to those filled with so much light that you almost need a pair of sunglasses to shade your eyes. Along the way, the short is intercut with a series of lush underwater sequences and dramatic close-ups that strikingly capture the intensity of the boys' friendship. Yet whilst both Orsillo and Nappa excel in their roles, Carbone (seen previously in The Dummy) all but steals the show, unfaltering in her resolve to make Domenico put his heartbreak behind him by reminding him where his true love now lies; namely 'the one' that he yearns to hold in his arms and open up his heart to. True, the result could well be too meandering a narrative style for some and yet and like the boys mirrored spiked stud chokers, it beautifully showcases two young hearts that long to beat as one. Need more be said? ›› available as part of THE ITALIAN BOYS shorts compilation. ›› posted: Thursday, 18th March, 2021. Gay Visibility - overt.  Nudity - from the waist up.  Overall - file under ... 4 stars.  donations are the lifeblood of Gay Celluloid; every drop helps keep it online - thank you :) Copyright 2021 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. archive reference #2021032 ›› previous page | back to top | print me ‹‹