Ciao Bella

Ciao Bella is a 2007 Swedish film directed by Mani Masserat-Agah. It is the Iranian-Swedish director's first feature film. Synopsis Gothenburg is host for an international soccer tournament called the Gothia Cup where teams from Sweden and various other countries are competing. A 16-year-old Swedish soccer player, from an immigrant family of Iranian origin, Mustafa Moradi from Lerum (played by Poyan Karimi), is yearning for love, but he is just too "nerdy" and lacks self-confidence to develop meaningful relationships and is downright intimidated by the girls who just want to have him as a "friend" but not as a lover. Mustafa has entered with his team in the tournament where he meets a visiting team from Italy who happen to need an "extra". So he wears a #10 jersey as "Massimo" and begins practicing with them. Soon he discovers a sudden surge in his popularity by just changing his name to something Italian. Encouraged by his initial success, he tries to conceal his Iranian identity and develop an Italian persona convinced this is his chance with the girls attending the Cup games. He is "groomed" to "become an Italian" by one of the stylish Italian players called Enrico (played by Oliver Wahlgren-Ingrosso) who gladly volunteers, but cautioning him not to fall in love with girls he goes out with. Mustafa and Enrico are clearly attracted to each other and a male bond develops between the two as Enrico's fascination for Mustafa grows.