The Boy With Pink Trousers | Dir: Margherita Ferri | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This film about the all-too short life of an Italian schoolboy is based on the book by his mother, Teresa Manes. It is the true story of Andrea Spezzacatena, a 15 year-old boy who committed suicide in 2012 after enduring bullying at school and online.
Andrea was the first documented victim of cyber-bullying in Italy when he took his own life in 2012. Rather than being depressing, the film is more of a memorial that celebrates Andrea as he narrates his life, and we share his passions and his distress.
Beginning with Teresa (Claudia Pandolfi) giving birth, we watch as her boy grows. Andrea (Samuele Carrino) excels academically, plays the piano and sings like an angel. He is also protective of his younger brother as his parents fight and eventually separate.
Finding it difficult to make friends, he eventually buddies up with the feisty Sara (Sara Ciocca). They go to the cinema together and also spend time admiring their charismatic classmate Christian (Andrea Arru) as he works out on the track.
Christian befriends Andrea because he wants his to help improve his grades, but Christian’s sadistic streak is never too far from the surface. His bullying starts as making jokes at Andrea’s expense, but it escalates to a very public humiliation for the sake of internet ‘likes’.
Interestingly, Andrea never identifies as being gay, but it makes no difference. He is fifteen and trying to work things out. When a washing mishap produces pink jeans, he wears them proudly because he thinks they are cool, not to make any statement about his sexuality.
Andrea Spezzacatena took his life in 2012, but the culture of cyber-bullying continues globally. The latest research from 30 May 2025 states that 44% of young people in Australia report having negative online experiences in the last 6 months.
It was only afterwards that his mother found out about the bullying that he son had endured, and she has dedicated her life to speaking out against bullying and cyber-bullying.
The Boy With Pink Trousers was a huge box office success in 2024 in Italy, beating Wicked and Gladiator 2. It will screen at Luna Leederville, Palace Raine Square and Luna on SX as part of the Italian Film Festival from 25 September.
Lezly Herbert
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