“Ripe!” opens with Marty Robbins’ “Love is Blue” playing in the background. As the song rises to a crescendo, a young American tourist (Sophie’s, Raina Landolfi) world begins to mirror its lyrics, turning shades of effervescent blue (as well as pink, purple, and red) after bumping into Gloria (Rita Roca), a platinum haired tomboyish soccer player while on holiday on the coast of Spain. Sophie’s boyfriend’s repeated voice messages too are drowned out as she slips into an amorous stupor.
Sophie accidentally ends up leaving her Catalan crush in purple bruises and a similar colored plaster cast after a collision during a friendly soccer match. Her obvious over-reaction to the whole incident is to initially consider this nascent relationship jinxed, and thus hide away in shame, wishing the ground beneath her would just open up and swallow her whole. She also expects to never be invited to a single soccer match, nor seaside brunch/picnic/swimming session ever again! But turns out neither broken bones nor cross connections can keep this besotted pair of lovebirds apart nor sour their relationship for too long. And it’s not long before their paths cross again. It’s also not long before a casual summer fling begins to ripen into something real.
A Modern Day, Same Sex Romance
“Ripe!” is a joint venture helmed by directors Kerry Furrh and Olivia Mitchell (an indie duo who go by the screen-name of ‘Tusk’ and founders of the production company ‘Tusk Creative’), along with a team of producers and executive producers including out-and-proud soccer player and Olympic gold medalist Kelley O’Hara, Cookie Walukas, Japonica Films (Barcelona), Luke Anderson, Kameryn Stanhouse, Juxtapose Studio and Ohouse Productions. The filmmakers intermingle melodrama and subtlety in this short that feels like the love child of “Bend it Like Beckham” and a “Call Me by Your Name” (cue, a juicy peach that doubles as a stress ball for one of the romantic leads of “Ripe!”). Its atmosphere, scenery, vintage filters, and vivid color palette harken back to other celebrated queer classics, such as one of my personal favorites, Pedro Almodóvar’s “Dolor y Gloria.”
“Ripe!” presents a modern-day same-sex romance with the utmost sensitivity and relatability, depicting cheesy moments but also not shying from the complexities either. The film shows the mutual, growing affection between Gloria and Sophie via the traditional exchange of texts, as is the Gen Z way. This is juxtaposed with stolen glances and the couple finding a solitary cove where they might swim freely, away from peeping eyes which might jinx their relationship again.
Communication and Other Barriers
However, communication still proves a barrier and it’s less so because of Gloria’s fluency as an English speaker but rather due to Sophie’s unwillingness to open up and just take the leap. While English may only be her second language, Gloria is still the more direct and vocal of the two. This is noticeable as showcased through her progressive, unapologetically edgy choice of jewelry—such as a ‘Fuck Racism’ choker (a fashion statement reminiscent to Tessa Thompson’s character donning anti-fascism earrings in 2018’s “Sorry to Bother You”)—or a mischievous penchant for turning a sexist slur into an empowering one. The latter is a skill that she imparts on Sophie, too, during their Spanish lessons.
Sophie on the other hand proves to be the more brooding one, as portrayed via her picking at a flower in a typical ‘she loves me/she loves me not’ fashion. Thus, it’s understandable why Gloria would express disappointment over her behavior and expect Sophie to reciprocate in the same direct and open fashion, rather than act hesitant in surrendering to her true feelings and just living her truth. Other visuals that illustrate the tempestuous nature of repressing one’s sexuality include a scene transition between a shot of the pair rolling in the grass beside the pool to a callback to the film’s opening of an injured Gloria yelling profanities as she lies writhing on the football field in pain. This latter acts as a metaphor for shattered hearts and how the psychological toll of heartbreaks and betrayal can feel worse than even physical wounds.
Short But Sweet
“Ripe!” also lets its characters do all the talking—literally—as its conversations take center stage. This works to lend nuance to the character beats, dynamics, and the main relationship, which can be both stormy yet placid like a sea after a storm. Instances of this include Sophie and Gloria’s primarily young and queer friend circle indulging in casual banter on how hard it can be to come out to someone you have strong feelings for or just met, yet harbor feelings towards from afar. Even the youngsters joking around about how the local nudist beach feels like a safe haven in a small town hides a kernel of bitter truth. Many young, closeted members of the LGBTQIA+ community still struggle with coming out—and also with commitment issues—resulting in either beating around the bush with a romantic prospect or literally hiding in the bushes just for some privacy.
Lastly, the cozy and compelling chemistry between Raina Landolfi and Rita Roca acts as a frosting upon the cake. Roca’s spunky, confident performance flavours an already delectable offering further.
My only concern with “Ripe!” is that I wished for a longer running time. But all in all, it effectively ticks all the boxes when it comes to quenching one’s thirst for a quintessential queer summer romance, so do treat yourselves!
Tribeca Festival runs from June 7 to 18, 2024. Follow us for more coverage.
