(The Boy with Pink Pants)
Directed by Margherita Ferri, Written by Roberto Proia
2024, 114 min, Drama
At Italian Film Festival 2025, Palace Cinemas, 19 Sept to 16 Oct 2025
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Star Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
This film review is published only on this blog.
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| Samuele Carrino, image supplied |
From its opening moments, The Boy with Pink Pants grips us by the heart.
We see a baby born in Rome, then hear the haunting adult voice of Andrea Spezzacatena
(Samuele Carrino) whisper, “I would have been…”. That unfinished phrase tells
us something must go terribly wrong.
Director Margherita Ferri, working from Roberto Proia’s screenplay based on
Teresa Manes’ memoir, shapes a story that is both intimate and devastating. She
draws us first into Andrea’s early years—captured in images full of warmth and
play—where a bright, sensitive boy thrives in the embrace of his loving
parents. That joy, however, makes the inevitable collapse all the more unbearable.
The turning point comes when Andrea dares to wear pink jeans to school. What
begins as childish teasing spirals into brutal, public bullying—both face to
face and online—driven by homophobia and adolescent cruelty. The abuse
escalates until Andrea is cornered, silenced, and finally destroyed at just 15.
Ferri never exploits this pain for drama. Instead, she frames Andrea’s torment
in sharp contrast with the fierce love of his family, making his death feel
like an unthinkable annihilation.
Samuele Carrino gives a luminous and heartbreaking performance as Andrea,
balancing intelligence, sweetness, and unbearable vulnerability. Claudia
Pandolfi is radiant as Teresa Manes, a mother whose warmth and faith cannot
shield her child from the cruelty of others. Corrado Fortuna, as Andrea’s
father, provides a tender, grounded presence, while Sara Ciocca lends
resilience as Andrea’s loyal friend. Andrea Arru is chillingly effective as
Cristian—handsome, magnetic, but cruel—reminding us that beauty and goodness are
not the same.
Ferri directs with sensitivity and urgency, never letting the story slide into
sentimentality. She shows us the slow erosion of a young life, while insisting
that audiences face the consequences of bullying and unchecked online hatred.
The film is unflinching, but it is also a call to action.
This is not an easy film. It is painful, gut-wrenching, and tragic, but it is
also profoundly important. The Boy with Pink Pants is more than heartbreaking
cinema—it is a warning. Ignore it, and more children will die.
By Kate Herbert
Directed by Margherita Ferri
Written by Roberto Proia
Cast:
- Samuele Carrino as Andrea Spezzacatena
- Claudia Pandolfi as Teresa Manes
- Sara Ciocca as Sara
- Corrado Fortuna as Tommaso Spezzacatena
- Andrea Arru as Christian Todi
- Pietro Serpi as Daniele Spezzacatena
- Barbara Bovoli as Ostetrica
- Settimo Palazzo as Prof. Gioli
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