WATCH: ‘Fireworks’ offers a forbidden romance under the Italian sun based on a true story

Following in the footsteps of Call Me By Your Name and Summer Of 85, upcoming Italian drama Fireworks touches on a lot a lot of the tropes we’ve come to expect from queer, European, coming-of-age tales.

Two young men meet by chance and become fast friends, spending their carefree summer days frolicking in the sun, splashing in the water, and riding their bikes across town—possibly falling for one another in the process. Familiar territory at this point, right?

But Fireworks sets itself apart because it’s actually based on a true story, one that played a significant role in the Italian Gay Rights movement in the ’80s.

To tell you any more about those real-life events would spoil where the film is headed, so for now we’ll just offer this advice: Get those tissues ready.

The first feature film from actor-turned-director Giuseppe Fiorello (whose on-screen credits include a small role in Queerty favorite The Talented Mr. Ripley), Fireworks—or “Stranizza d’amuri” in Italian—is a romance about two young men in Sicily in 1982, at a time when many still held prejudiced opinions about homosexuality.

The shy Gianni (Samuele Segreto) isn’t exactly able to hide his nature, and finds himself frequently teased by the macho men in his hometown. But, one day, he meets Nino (Gabriele Pizzurro), hired to work at Gianni’s father’s auto repair shop, and the two feel an instant spark.

At first, Gianni’s family just seems happy he’s found a new friend, but the more time the boys spend together, the more they—and the rest of the town—begin to worry. As rumors, hate speech, and fear swirl around then, Gianni and Nino find the courage in one another to stand up for themselves.

Related:

That time Italian fascists exiled a bunch of gay guys to an island & accidentally created a M4M utopia

Hello, readers! Today’s queer history lesson takes us to Italy under the reign of Mussolini. 

Fireworks was released in Italian theaters earlier this year and played a number of international film festivals, during which time it won the Nastri d’Argento prize (selected by Italian film critics) and the Italian Golden Globe for Best Feature Debut.

Now, LGBTQ+ and genre-focused film distributor Cinephobia Releasing has picked up the film for international distribution, and is planning to make Fireworks digitally available stateside on December 19.

You can check out the beautiful international trailer for the film below, and stay tuned for more details on where and when it’ll be available to rent/stream.