While shy teenager Jérémie trying to find his way between his classmate and sexual fantasy Damien and his very generous but protective mother Gina, his life is about to change.
Cappuccino (2010)
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Sweet, if somewhat cynical, this charming coming-of-age work charts the adolescent yearnings of Jérémie; a shy gay teen fixated on the good looks of his straight classmate Damien, but realistic enough to know that any chance of getting up close and personal with the man himself, is but the subject of sexual fantasy. Only when the opportunity presents itself for Jérémie to date Damien, dinner style, is this little devil prepared for a bittersweet course on life and love?
Well-executed throughout, with specific attention lovingly paid to the light and shade of the piece, here we find writer and director Tamer Ruggli weaving a tale that whilst walking more than familiar cinematic ground, nevertheless wonderfully depicts the raw reality of a gay teenager’s first crush.
To that end, Benjamin Décosterd offers an achingly natural turn as Jérémie, with Ruggli perfectly capturing the thoughts and ways of a youth busy preparing to go out with the object of his adoration. That both mother and son are searching for the one and in whose arms they come to find mutual support, adds an additional layer to a simple story, beautifully told, even if Manuela Biedermann as Jérémie’s protective, if generous mother Gina would come to find her “girls night out” scenes heavily edited, as Ruggli opts to focus instead on the emotional heart of her son, just as this short equally charts the mindset of a young man clearly destined to hustle his way through life.
