Il Primo Giorno D’inverno [The First Day of Winter] *** (2008, Mattia De Gasperis, Michela Cova, Andrea Semeghini, Alberto Gerundo) – Classic Movie Review 12,713

The 2008 Italian drama film The First Day of Winter stars Mattia De Gasperis as Valerio, a lonely, introverted boy who can’t get on with others. He observes other boys sneakily and spies on a couple of his swimming classmates enjoying a moment in the showers.

Director Mirko Locatelli’s bleak 2008 Italian drama film Il Primo Giorno D’inverno [The First Day of Winter] stars Mattia De Gasperis as Valerio as a lonely, introverted boy who seems to like himself but can’t get on with others. He lives with his dreary, boring mother and weird, rabbit-loving little sister. No joy there then. He observes other boys sneakily and measures himself up against a couple of guys in his swimming class. But one day, while spying, Valerio sees something that will change him forever.

The First Day of Winter is quality film-making but it is dour, downbeat and depressing, with a shitty little homophobic, self-loathing, probably repressed gay boy as the main character, a threatening little blackmailer. Are we supposed to sympathise? Maybe just understand.

He’s a repressed homosexual, spying on other boys in the changing rooms, and one day sees two of his classmates enjoying a moment together in the showers. Now he thinks he can do what he likes with them, threatening to expose them if they don’t give them their scooter for a start. Their motorino is an impressive, powerful item, and his old, ailing one has packed in, so he just commandeers theirs.

This story is not going to end well, and of course it doesn’t. The film is well made, and very nicely shot, pulling the audience right into the life and lifestyle of the main character, taking its time with the significant details in a compact little film. Its message is clear. But where does it get us? Italy is fairly iffy with its attitudes to gay people, so exposing that is important. But those looking for entertainment better look elsewhere.

The film is in the interesting category, and well worth a look, but ultimately as unlikeable and off-putting as its ‘hero’. Generally a slow burn, though its odd corners keep it involving, it does however end with a brilliantly staged final chase and fight sequence, of quite remarkable impact.

It is shot on flavourful locations somewhere around Milan, Lombardy, Italy, neither in the city, nor in the suburbs, but in the poorish, though picturesque country region farther off, with more emphasis on the poorish than the picturesque. Probably there won’t be a huge rush of tourists going there for their holidays, nice though it looks. The family can’t afford a new Christmas tree, so Valerio and his sister set up at night and dig one up. You couldn’t do that in the city or in the suburbs. The point of that little incident must be that, for these folks, if you haven’t got something, or can’t afford it, you can just take someone else’s. By the way, Valerio is fairly protective and concerned about his sister, and reasonably okay with the mother. He doesn’t seem to be a monster, but eventually he kind of is.

The First Day of Winter 2008 | Il Primo Giorno D’inverno (original title)

Director Mirko Locatelli Writers Mirko Locatelli (screenplay), Giuditta Tarantelli (screenplay) Stars Mattia De Gasperis, Michela Cova, Andrea Semeghini, Alberto Gerundo.

Release date: March 27, 2009 (Italy).

Filming locations: Milan, Lombardia, Italy.

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