Cyberbullying’s Cruelty Echoes Forever in ‘The Boy With Pink Trousers’

Based on true events and set in Rome, The Boy With Pink Trousers is the cinematic depiction of Italy’s first publicised case of cyberbullying.

The story surrounds 14-year-old Andrea Spezzacatene, a gifted singer and middle school student whose happiness is short lived once his parents divorce, and a fellow student whom he regarded as a friend bullies him.

It’s evident soon after the opening credits that Andrea has passed on. Audiences learn of his final year, what propelled the bullying, the trauma which he experienced and the decision to end his life.

This is a highly emotional movie and audiences may be angered that such a bright young child’s future was stolen, owing to the destructive nature of bullying and cyberbullying

Directed by Margherita Ferri and loosely adapted from a book by Andrea’s mother Teresa Manes, the movie stars Claudia Pandolfi as the caring mother who doesn’t know why her son is so withdrawn.

The success of this film can be attributed to the two pivotal young actors; Samuele Carrone who portrays Andrea and Andrea Arru who plays the hateful bully Christian.

Both these actors are perfectly cast as opposites and complement each other’s performances. Upon Christian’s appearance audiences should experience an uneasy feeling, quickly realising he’s dark, evil and distrustful and yet Andrea appears as someone who is wholesome, craves love and friendship. Upon seeing Christian initially he enthuses, “Christian will be my best friend – even though he doesn’t yet know it.”

The bullying elements in the story slowly progress to cyberbullying. Christian’s fierce jealousy arouses because Andrea is something of a prodigy, a student who excels in all he does, but also because he believes Andrea is queer. What further accelerates the bullying is when he wears pink trousers to school after an incident in the laundry changed the colour.

Regardless of what Christian has done to Andrea he still cares for him – has Andrea fallen in love with Christian?

The narration by Andrea heightens the effectiveness of the storytelling process. Audiences should warm to Andrea who in one tender scene asks his grandmother, “Why doesn’t God do something when someone hurts us?”

The musical score and several angelic melodies, notably the beautiful renditions of Schubert’s Ave Maria, raise the emotional intensity of the story.

In the closing scenes as he celebrates his 15^th birthday Andrea delivers the following two heartfelt lines of dialogue which highlight the stress and depression he experienced, “My last day on Earth was peaceful. I was happy after a long time…”

With cyberbullying intensifying worldwide The Boy With Pink Trousers is a cautionary story set to film that should be viewed by all audiences, notably parents with their teenage children.

What profoundly resonates in the narrative is that with technology, cyberbullying hauntingly and mercilessly follows the victims wherever they go – there’s no escape.

The film ends with a bittersweet message, “May the sacrifice of one be the redemption of another….”

The Tragic aftermath…

Andrea Spezzacatena took his own life in 2012 without leaving a note. After his death his mother found the Facebook page which was created to mock him – only then she learnt the mental trauma her son had suffered through the cyberbullying. She has dedicated her life travelling to schools around Italy talking to students about the tragic effects of bullying and cyberbullying.

****1/2

The Boy With Pink Trousers is screening at the Italian Film Festival from September 18 – October 15.