Short Skin

By: Amos Lassen

"Short Skin" ("I dolori del giovane Edo")

A Problem

Amos Lassen

Ever since childhood Edoardo has been suffering from phimosis, a penis malformation that prevents him from experiencing sexual satisfaction. Now at , he starts to feel some pressure from the outside world- everyone around him talks and thinks about sex: his friend Arturo is so obsessed with losing his virginity that is willing to pay for it, Edoardo's parents, encourage him to declare his love to Bianca and even his little sister Olivia is looking for a good partner for the family dog Teagan. Edoardo's lack of confidence begins to change when he meets a new girl, Elisabetta, and the unexpected approach of Bianca. to come out of the shadow he was hiding in, Edoardo tries first to solve his problem with clumsy strategies.

Phimosis is a congenital inability to retract his foreskin. This means that any form of sexual activity is physically as well as emotionally challenging. Edoardo is terrified of having an operation and turns instead to creams, condoms, and even an octopus. His life is one of trepidation as he struggles to overcome obstacles.

When Edoardo is examined, both by his parents and doctor, his naked behind fills the frame, putting us within eye level of the examiner. Yet director Duccio

Chiarini never implicates the audience as voyeurs, but instead as participants in his story. The body is treated biologically as opposed to an expression of voyeurism and sex is a biological experience is inadvertently made through Edoardo's little sister's (Bianca Ceravolo) obscene obsession with finding their female dog a mate in order to have puppies. This places Edoardo's insecurities and shame outside of the emotional spectrum and so it becomes an easy feat to overcome ? if he is willing to take that risk.

Edoardo lives in Pisa and has been suffering since childhood from phimosis. The wellbeing of his malformed penis is of great concern for the entire family, with both his parents (Michele Crestacci and Bianca Nappi) and even his little sister Olivia participating in inspections of Edoardo's penis. The director says that there are parts of the film that are autobiographical. The film smartly mixes humor and drama, and has a lesson or two about courage, improvisation and overcoming one's insecurities.

As for Edoardo, he is morose teenager who is as thin as a broomstick but has a huge heart beating in his chest. His actions and commentaries are governed by extraordinary common sense, even when all those around him do or say things that may hurt their loved ones. We see an impressive performance as the youngster who needs to overcome fear, pain and the unknown in order to reclaim his future.

"Short Skin" is an interesting and relevant cinematic experience. It is greatly helped along by the ensemble of actors, who give very natural performances. It goes where other films hinted but did not dare.It's not only Edo's condition that troubles him, it's the fact that he's trying to find meaningful relationships in a world where everyone around him appears superficial in matters of the heart. We explore the multiple barriers that keep Edo from overcoming his life's challenges. He knows that he must stop letting his fears keep him from taking action before these obstacles become insurmountable. He has a justifiable, physical reason for being uneasy about losing his virginity and the solution is going to have to be surgical.

Edo is understandably shy, but the film is certainly not shy at all about showing young people's bodies, including Edo working on his penis and this is both a fresh note and a possible discomfort for some viewers.