Italian Studies 2022

Opening with the protagonist attending a vibrant party with her partner in the heart of NYC, we swiftly transition to a stark daytime scene. Here, she encounters a young girl who offers her a cigarette, yet the protagonist struggles to remember their connection.

On what seems like an ordinary day, she finds herself in a hardware store, leaving her dog tied up outside. Upon exiting, a sudden wave of disorientation washes over her, erasing her memory of everything. Consequently, she begins to roam the city, her sense of direction lost and time unclear.

As she stumbles upon some familiar steps, she pauses, recalling past interactions with a group of young people. With every stride through the bustling streets, her memories continue to elude her grasp. At a diner, she converses with a teenager, revealing her uncertainty about even the most fundamental details of her life, including her dietary choices, which she speculates might be vegetarian.

In this exchange, she expresses her confusion about her identity, sharing an embarrassing moment at a corner shop where she runs into trouble over her inability to pay. Later, in another shop, desperation drives her to grab items and flee.

Arriving at a small hotel, she approaches the receptionist, attempting to retrieve her key for room 234. However, her inability to provide any identification leads to disappointment. Outside, she finds a secluded spot to relieve herself and eventually curls up for sleep in a stairwell.

A chance encounter occurs when a woman approaches, inquiring if she is the author Alina Reynolds, noted for her work “Italian Studies.” The woman reminisces about attending a reading two years prior, describing the book as a collection of coming-of-age tales. This revelation sparks a glimmer of recognition, urging Alina to locate her book in the library.

As she reads a chapter, she stumbles upon a mention of room 234, prompting a faint smile as she borrows a pen to sign the book. A man reprimands her for defacing it, only to apologize upon realizing she is the author.

Delving into the chapter titled Lucinda, more fragments of Alina’s memory resurface, revealing that the interviews she conducted were with a younger version of herself. The teen from the diner, Simon, shares a poignant story about his first love.

Throughout this journey, various teens narrate their perspectives and memorable anecdotes. At a fast-food restaurant, the older version of Alina had recounted her plans for a novel based on their stories, leading the teens to pool their resources to help her cover her bill after she admits to being short on cash.

As Alina attends another lively party filled with youth, she finds it challenging to connect with them as she once did, facing open hostility instead. In a moment of vulnerability with Simon, she acknowledges that they are both “broken,” leading to a fleeting kiss before he departs.

The narrative shifts to a serene beach scene, where Alina catches up with Lucinda. During their conversation, she suddenly realizes her little white dog is missing. Panic sets in as she rushes back to the city, retracing her steps to the hardware store to find her beloved pet.

In the present, the girl who once offered Alina a cigarette recommends reaching out to Simon, now a college student. Hesitating, Alina expresses her fear that doing so might taint her nostalgic memories, hinting at past mental struggles that she believes her husband now fears might resurface.

As Alina and her husband journey back home, the scene is filled with reflections of the key interviewees from her past explorations.