Stefano Tummolini shows great promise and sensibility with this simple yet complex tale. Salvatore (Antonio Merone), at first sight the typical Italian macho, is a troubled gay man who accidentally meets a trio of women and an intriguing young man, Cristiano, on an idyllic beach. Their day unfolds seductively, literally undressing the main characters as they expose their rawest secrets and try to (dis)connect with one another.
Lucia Mascino is human and moving as Daniela, and Merone has a strong presence. The dialogue, mostly improvised, is both funny and profoundly analytical. During the Q&A at Sundance, Tummolini (who has a cameo as Cristiano's boyfriend) said it took them about 10 years to get the movie produced and it was shot in 7 days for virtually no budget (all of the actors worked for free). Winner of the Queer Lion at the 2008 Venice Film Festival, "Un Altro Pianeta" (literally, "Another Planet") is a remarkable achievement of sensitive storytelling. My cup of tea. 9/10.
