ABOUT THE FILM

LOGLINE

An Argentine filmmaker, unable to finish editing a movie about his unrequited first love, receives an unexpected invitation to revisit his past, reconstruct his memories, and perhaps even find a new ending to the story.

LONG SYNOPSIS

Executive produced by the late Norman Lear, this debut feature by Juan Pablo Di Pace and Andres Pepe Estrada follows filmmaker Matias as he struggles to finish editing a movie that was inspired by his elusive first love—a Swedish boy name Alexander—whom he met at a boarding school in 1997. Tenderness and fascination define their strong friendship, which is short-lived when Alexander is suddenly expelled, leaving young Matias with a story of undeclared emotions…even 25 years later.

Matias, played by co-director Di Pace (The Mattachine Family, Mama Mia, TV’s “Fuller House”), decides to reopen Pandora’s box by coming face-to-face with Alexander, discovering life imitating art and confronting the sneaky power of memory. Di Pace draws on his own life for this film about the universal aching nostalgia of first love. Through flashback and meta-narrative, DUINO breathes fresh life into a classic gay coming-of-age tale by exploring the passionate memories of a just-out-of-reach lover that audiences will find both tender and crowd pleasing.

Directors Juan Pablo Di Pace, Andres Pepe Estrada

Writer Juan Pablo Di Pace

Producers Guillermo Escalona, Alvaro Riccardo Valente, Amanda Lenker Doyle, Juan Pablo Di Pace

Executive Producers Norman Lear, Brent Miller, Stephanie Slack, Margret Huddleston, Massimiliano Milic, Gonzalo Lopez Jordan, Bob Hayes and Jim Burba, Kent Robert Gibbons

Co-Producers Martin Granados, Juan Gorelik, Valentina Bach, Roberta Ghedini, Lini Evans

Associate Producers Bobby Ralston, Khaled Habayeb, Jeff Brodsly, Milan Adam, Vittorio Di Pace, Marta Maineri

Editors Juan Pablo Di Pace, Andres Pepe Estrada

Director of Photography Devin Doyle

original score Sindri Sigfusson & Kjartan Holm

FESTIVALS
2024: Lovers Film Festival Turin (World Premiere), Frameline48, Rio LGBTQIA+, Hong Kong Gay & Lesbian (Closing Night)

AWARDS
Audience Award (Lovers), Young Lovers Jury—Matthew Shepard Award (Lovers), Best International Feature Film (Rio LGBTQIA+)

AVAILABLE TERRITORIES
The World

EXHIBITION FORMATS
DCP, Digital Download