Withdrawn and overweight fifteen-year-old Benedetta (Gaia Di Pietro) lives in rural Italy with her parents and her two younger sisters. After work, her father enjoys tinkering with cars while her mother takes out her frustration on Benedetta, and her mundane life stands at odds with her inner world.

When a fairground pops up near her family’s home, she meets one of the workers, Amanda (Andrea Carpenzano), a self-determined trans woman who works at the fairground, among other jobs.

Benedetta is immediately fascinated by Amanda’s self-confidence and independence, and school quickly fades into the background, as she is magnetically drawn to this colourful and exciting new world and their cautious friendship. Through Amanda, Benedetta glimpses a freer life beyond the horizon of her immediate surroundings, and she finds herself wandering down a path toward adulthood.

A sensitive and poetic coming-of-age tale, Chiara Bellosi’s second film SWING RIDE takes a tender look at an unusual friendship whilst unfolding a tale of self-discovery and breaking free.

Italian language, English subtitles.