‘Before We Forget’ Shines In Its Dreamy Depiction Of Queer First Love

Juan Pablo Di Pace’s coming-of-age directorial debut is a wistful take on his real-life experience that's been compared to “Call Me by Your Name.”

When Juan Pablo Di Pace is asked about the inspirations for his coming-of-age drama “Before We Forget,” he doesn’t cite specific films or directors.

Instead, the Argentinean actor, writer and director points to “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun,” one of French composer Claude Debussy’s most beloved symphonic works, written in 1894 and featured in the movie.

“I’m a huge fan of ballet, opera and classical music, so the structure of the film is quite symphonic,” Di Pace told HuffPost in an interview. “There’s something in the music that’s tense and beautiful, and then it gets to a crescendo and it’s ecstasy.”

Emotions run high in “Before We Forget,” which expanded to select theaters nationwide Friday after its New York and Los Angeles release earlier this month. The film, which marks Di Pace’s screenwriting and feature directorial debut, is a dreamy and wistful take on his real-life experiences with first love and heartbreak.

Originally titled “Duino,” the film follows Matias (played by Santiago Madrussan), an Argentinean student and aspiring filmmaker who enrolls in an arts-focused boarding school in Italy in 1997.