In my never-ending search for gay lit I stumbled upon an Icelandic coming-of-age film by Baldvin Zophoníasson, Jitters. I’ll admit the trailer is not great, however the film itself surpasses in so many ways.
The plot centres around 16-year-old Gabríel and his close group of friends, documenting their personal struggles with relationships, parents, mental health, sexuality, and pretty much everything else you have to deal with as a teenager. Each character’s story is engaging, and this is why the film is so universally relevant. The way in which these separate narratives intertwine throughout the film is calculated and well written; no character feels unimportant or out of place. Each one undergoes change and development and it is this effortless weaving of stories that is truly remarkable.
While it may be criticised as unoriginal, (sometimes described as a feature-length Icelandic adaptation of the once-popular UK television series Skins), Jitters offers up something new: it’s exposition into teenage friendships is, in my opinion, entirely accurate. I’m not exactly sure why, but the dynamic of relationships in the film seems to mirror my own experience as a 16 year old.
In any case, Jitters is a well-written and beautifully filmed story that I will be able to watch over and over again.
