Ciao Italianista, I have a movie recommendation for you. Sotto il Sole di Riccione or Under the Riccione Sun is a movie that came out in July 2020 and is playing on Netflix.
It is about a group of 20 year-olds who return every summer to the same beach in Riccione for a week. The protagonists are trying to find love in a group where boy likes girl, but she still wants her ex, or boy is falling for his girlfriend’s best friend, or boy and girl meet on an app and fall in love but she omitted telling him she has a boyfriend.
The movie is very light and frivolous. It did not get very good reviews because it doesn’t deal with any social justice issues like race or gender. It’s basically a throwback to the ’80s. But this is exactly why I liked it. It’s just an easygoing summer beach movie with beautiful young people playing volleyball and going to clubs on the Adriatic Riviera. The Italian is clear and easy to understand especially if you put on subtitles.
The movie is somewhat of a remake of a cult film from the ’80s called Sapore di Mare. In fact, one of the actors, Isabella Ferrari, was the protagonist in that movie. In Sotto il Sole di Riccione, she plays the mother of one of the boys. Her son is blind so she is very protective and came with him to Riccione. She also ends up finding love and her role adds some needed comedy and depth to the movie.
Sapore di Mare takes place in Forte dei Marmi in Tuscany, a more exclusive location than Riccione. But the plot is more or less the same: young love, old love, parties, laughter, new experiences, etc.
Riccione is also the name of a song that was very popular two years ago in Italy. This song and many songs on the soundtrack are by the band Thegiornalisti. Thegiornalisti is an Italian Indie pop band that formed in 2009. In 2019 after the single Riccione became a hit, the lead singer Tommaso Paradiso left to form a new band.
Let me know what you think of this movie! Buon cinema!
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