Movie
Before We Forget
Cultural messages
Be Yourself
mediumMatias spends the entire film unable to name or express his feelings for Alexander — a suppressed queer identity that goes undeclared. This suppression is shown as directly painful (depression after Alexander's expulsion). Kathrine's romantic pursuit of Matias adds heteronormative pressure to conform. The adult Matias framing the reunion as finding 'the ending his film has been missing' is a clear metaphor for finally reckoning with his true identity — life imitating art as self-acceptance. Three signals: (1) denying/unable to name his nature, (2) conformity causes depression, (3) the reunion/reckoning is the turning point toward authenticity that closes both the film and his emotional arc.
About this message: A character hides or suppresses their true identity to conform, then finds strength and happiness by embracing who they really are. Authenticity is the real superpower.
Movies that share these tropes
Full plot (spoilers)
Before We Forget (also released as Duino) unfolds across two timelines. In 1997, young Matias (Santiago Madrussan), a shy Argentine teenager, arrives at UWC Adriatic, an international boarding school in the picturesque coastal village of Duino, Italy, partly to put distance between himself and Argentina. He quickly falls into an intense, undefined friendship with Alexander (Oscar Morgan), a magnetic, free-spirited Swedish classmate. Their bond is marked by furtive glances and a tenderness that implies feelings neither of them articulates. Alexander's behavior at school gradually deteriorates, and he is abruptly expelled, severing the relationship before Matias can express what he feels. In the aftermath, Matias sinks into depression — until he is invited to spend Christmas at Alexander's family estate, where he continues to struggle to name his emotions. During that visit, Alexander's sister Kathrine pursues a romantic interest in Matias, adding another layer of unresolved complication. The emotions go undeclared and the story is left without an ending. In the present day, a fortysomething Matias (Juan Pablo Di Pace), now a filmmaker, is holed up in an editing room racing against a film festival deadline, attempting to turn those pivotal Duino months into an autobiographical feature film. He rediscovers a lost VHS tape that documented the original events, forcing him to confront the memories more directly. When an invitation arrives for Kathrine's wedding, Matias travels to reunite with Alexander face to face, seeking closure — and the ending his film has been missing. The reunion becomes a case of life imitating art as Matias must finally reckon with what that formative friendship meant to him. The film is co-directed by Juan Pablo Di Pace (who also stars) and Andrés Pepe Estrada.
Sources: Wikipedia (Duino film article), IMDb search result, Variety review, TMDb overview