Market Research
I began binging romcoms and romances set in Italy in the name of market research as soon as I finished writing my first novel, a nostalgic, sexy, coming-of-age romp through 1995 Florence (for anyone who’s reading this, I’m seeking representation and think it would make a great movie or limited series).
I’ve always hungrily consumed books and movies set in Italy, especially love stories, but had been wary of doing it while I was still writing for fear I might somehow be contaminated by what I watched or read. Once the manuscript was done, I gave myself permission to binge away and man did I binge!
I started with the ever delightful Roman Holiday (1953), and am happy to say that Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) and Letters to Juliet (2010) still hold up nicely. I also distractedly watched the Italy part of Eat, Pray, Love (2010) and even took a deep dive into more recent romcoms with an Italy backdrop like Love and Gelato (2022), Love in the Villa (2022), and the Netflix romance drama mini series From Scratch (2022). Looks like 2022 was a banner year for the genre.
A Healthy Distraction
I also read plenty of books about falling in love with and in Italy like Rebecca Serle’s One Italian Summer (again 2022!), The Italian Holiday by Catherine Mangan, and Jill Santopolo’s Stars in an Italian Sky (both 2024). Again, for research purposes, I read the book Love & Gelato (2016) by Jenna Evans Welch which I liked better than the film (as is often the case). The movie is set in Rome which was confusing to me since the book takes place just outside of and in Florence. Yet another reason to publish my book and make it into a movie or series. Don’t you want to see a delicious, romantic adventure in Florence? It also has a kick-ass soundtrack and a playlist!
I digress. All of this to say that reading and watching romance has been a sweet diversion and a balm for my soul at a time when we all need more love and laughter. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m partial to romcoms in general, regardless of the country in which they occur, and have a growing list of Italian and foreign-produced films cued up on my streaming platforms. I’m also not embarrassed to admit that while doing my market research I stopped to rewatch many favorites from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. What can I say? I’m a hopeless romantic and a sucker for romantic comedies.
They’re helping so much.
Love, in Theory: An Italian Gen Z Romcom
One frenzied, sleepless night, while searching for something to watch, I came upon a gem of a film. While it didn’t receive rave reviews — it was, however, fairly well received— I absolutely adored it, so much so that I enthusiastically recommended it to my 18-year-old daughter, also a devoted fan of the genre, who promptly ignored me.
I don’t want to reveal too much but will give you some basic information so you can see if it strikes your fancy. If you’re in Italy or have a VPN, it’s currently on Netflix. The film came out last spring so it could potentially be coming soon to a streaming platform near you.
Set in Milan, it’s the story of Leone (Leo), a charming, brilliant philosophy student who’s almost done with his degree. Leo is in love with and devoted to high school crush, Carola, has an unexpected meet cute with Flor, an environmental activist and diehard feminist, and comes into contact with an older, homeless man, Meda, who becomes his life and love guru. The movie is entertaining and endearing and offers interesting cultural commentary on class, politics, societal expectations, gender roles, love, relationships, friendship, family, and activism. It is also interspersed with reflections on love, in the form of black and white testimonials, spoken by the movies’ leading and minor characters.
If you’re looking for a little insight into Italian youth, a sweet love story about destiny, choices, and consequences, some philosophizing on Spinoza’s ideas about free will (libero arbitrio), excellent contemporary slang, and iconic Milan locations, Luca Lucini’s L’Amore, in Teoria is your perfect next watch.