First Love
Vittorio is looking for a woman who matches his ideal. Through a classified ad he meets Sonia, a sweet, pleasant, intelligent girl. However, she weighs 125 pounds -- which according to Vittorio is way too much. A goldsmith by trade, Vittorio is obsessed with the desire to shape Sonia's body and mind as does a fire with gold. Almost imperceptibly Sonia becomes a passive participant and the relationship grows into a reciprocal masochistic game. When the two lovers isolate themselves in a country house in the Veneto hills, they dangerously lose touch with reality and the rest of the world.
This film feels like a slow descent into a shared delusion. It's a beautiful yet disturbing exploration of how obsession can warp perception, trapping two people in a self-made, increasingly isolated reality. The atmosphere is thick with unspoken tension and a creeping sense of dread.
