#CRUSH – THE STORY OF DIEGO
#CRUSH – THE STORY OF DIEGO
Premiering on RaiPlay from March 18
And on Rai Gulp from Thursday, March 21 every day at 8:00 PM
THE PHENOMENON OF YOUTH GANGS AT THE CENTER OF THE NEW TEEN SERIES
The new live-action series produced by Stand By Me in collaboration with Rai Kids, a coming-of-age story centered around the serious and increasingly relevant issue of youth gangs. The protagonist is a thirteen-year-old boy dealing with his first crush, friendships, school, and the search for and affirmation of his identity.
The phenomenon of youth gangs is at the heart of the new series “Crush – The Story of Diego,” produced by Stand by me in collaboration with Rai Kids. Available in a box set on RaiPlay from Monday, March 18, and airing from Thursday, March 21, every day at 8 PM on Rai Gulp. An increasingly widespread phenomenon in Italy, told here from the perspective of Diego, the protagonist, a thirteen-year-old dealing with the emotions of his first crush, friendships, school, the search for his identity, and self-affirmation.
Narrated in the typical language of teenagers, “Crush – The Story of Diego” offers a stimulus to reflect on and try to understand the motivations that often lead many young people, often unconsciously, to find themselves within a gang. These gangs often meet a variety of relational, social, and psychological needs that typically manifest in an adolescent’s life, such as the need to create an identity, to feel part of a group, and to be recognized by other members, or the search for protection and security that sometimes cannot be found in institutions, schools, or families. Intended for a very young audience, the series addresses the phenomenon by inserting it into a narrative that also leaves ample room for themes of friendship, love, joy, and the struggles of growing up, presenting a comprehensive portrait of the varied world of adolescents on their path to adulthood.
The series’ protagonist is Diego, a 13-year-old who lives an apparently peaceful life with good grades in school, computer games with his friend Fabio, oboe lessons, and a secret love for the beautiful Erika. The arrival of Leo, a new classmate with an aura of charm and confidence, radically changes his life. Despite their differences, Diego and Leo develop an intense friendship, complicated by the presence of the youth gang led by Leo, the most charismatic figure that others love to follow. Diego finds himself torn between being attracted to Leo’s confidence and popularity and disapproving of the group’s actions. This involvement leads him to compromise his family, school, and romantic relationships. Only when the situation escalates with an assault on a classmate does Diego realize the dangers and his mistakes, deciding to break away from the gang. However, Leo blames Diego for being solely responsible for the assault. In the end, with the help of his true friends Sara, Erika, and Fabio, Diego manages to clear his name and report the gang but must also take responsibility for his actions, confessing to his parents and accepting punishment.
The series, also made with the consultation of Dr. Paola de Rose, a child neuropsychiatrist, consists of ten 25-minute episodes and features a cast of young but promising actors, starting with Massimo Quagliata (Diego), one of the main characters in Enrico Brignano’s latest film “Volevo un figlio maschio.” Alongside him are Edoardo Miulli (Leo), seen in the films “Time is Up 2” and “Improvvisamente a Natale mi sposo,” Fiorella Pacelli (Erika), also in the cast of the second season of “Christian,” Vittoria Parente (Sara), Filippo Riotta (Fabio), seen in the series “La Fuggitiva,” and Lorenzo Spadorcia (Michele, a member of the youth gang), not only an actor in cinema and theater but also a voice actor.
“Crush – The Story of Diego” is the third chapter in the original “Crush” series created by Simona Ercolani: the series uses the double meaning of the English term, which means both crush and to crush, to explore the light and dark sides of preadolescent life and recount a phase that is both delicate and overwhelming, fundamentally important in the growth process toward self-affirmation and self-knowledge. In the first two chapters – “Crush, The Story of Stella” and “Crush, The Story of Tamina” – the series tackled other relevant and current issues such as sexting and cyberbullying, and sports as a tool for integration and personal growth.
“Crush – The Story of Diego” is a production by Stand By Me in collaboration with Rai Kids. Series concept by Simona Ercolani, Angelo Pastore, and Olimpia Sales. Scripts by Ivan Russo, Filippo Gentili, Serena Cervoni, and Maria Scoglio. Directed by Valentina Bertuzzi. Music by Filadelfo Castro. Produced by Simona Ercolani. Executive producer: Grazia Assenza. Rai producers: Cecilia Quattrini and Annita Romanelli.