Maschile plurale (2024)

Three years after Denis’s death, Luca reappears in Antonio’s life. Antonio is now a successful pastry chef, but he has hit a creative slump: since his first creation, he has had no inspiration to come up with new recipes. Luca had to close his bakery and now runs a shelter for LGBTQ+ or troubled young people who have been rejected by their families. He is in a serious relationship with Tancredi, another person in charge of the shelter, and wants to enter into a civil union with him. Antonio, who is having a rather unconvincing flirtation with a supplier named Dario, feels his desire for Luca rekindle and decides to win him back. His friend Cristina advises him against it, constantly reminding him that “you can’t reheat old soup” and urging him not to remain stuck in the past. In an attempt to get close to Luca again, Antonio buys Luca’s old bakery and proposes that they go into business together, turning it into a new pastry shop dedicated to the late Denis and selling newly created desserts. The two throw themselves enthusiastically into the project, and Ricky is also brought in to help with the new venture. Ricky is another young man living at the shelter: he is very troubled, withdrawn, surly and distrustful, and says he is heterosexual and only has sex with other men for money. Antonio’s obvious pursuit of Luca makes both Tancredi and Dario jealous, putting their respective relationships in crisis. After a furious scene, Dario breaks up with Antonio and withdraws the discounted supplies he had offered for the new oven. Tancredi, meanwhile, becomes much colder toward Luca and also distances himself from the pastry-shop project. Cristina, tired of not being listened to, also seems to pull away from Antonio, criticizing his irresponsible and selfish behavior. In return, Antonio manages to earn Ricky’s trust after helping and defending him entirely out of kindness, asking for nothing in return and even turning down Ricky’s offer of sex as a way of repaying him. Once the old bakery has been converted, Antonio tries to kiss Luca during the pastry shop’s opening night, but Tancredi catches them and runs off, consumed by jealousy. Furious, Luca tells Antonio plainly that he is no longer in love with him and urges him to stop hurting himself by chasing a past that cannot return, then runs off to look for Tancredi. Realizing his mistakes, Antonio manages to find Tancredi first and apologizes to him, speaking openly and from the heart. When Luca catches up with them, the three finally reconcile after clearing the air. Meanwhile, the opening-night celebration continues without the two owners and is saved by an impromptu intervention from Cristina, whom Ricky has reminded of the value of friendship. The new dessert Antonio has invented for the occasion, made with second-rate biscuits, turns out to be a success. When Antonio returns to the pastry shop with Luca and Tancredi, he and Cristina also finally clear the air and make up. Antonio stays with Luca until the following morning to clean the shop. Left alone, he hears the door open again. Calling out that the shop is closed, he looks toward the person who has just come in—who does not speak and is not shown—and suddenly stops, then smiles radiantly with a surprised expression.