17-year-old's film about first love striking during a French exam is heart-felt and poignant

The Australian Theatre for Young People in Sydney have made a touching short-film about first love between two boys at school.

The film, Language of Love, features a teenager realizing during a French exam that he is in love with his best friend. It is written by and stars 17-year-old Kim Ho.

‘I Googled "how to tell a guy you like him",’ says Charlie, played by Ho, in the film. ‘But all the results were about how much make-up to use.’

Ho was mentored by Australian playwright Tommy Murphy, whose plays have been staged in London’s West End.

‘I see that role as asking leading questions but not trying to dictate what the answers might be,’ says Murphy in a clip about the making of the film.

‘This work comes from Kim and it’s written with an insight and expertise that only Kim could bring.’

Ho says he got inspiration for the film while he was in school. ‘One day I was sitting in French watching a film,’ he says. ‘And the guy in front of me was blocking my view… I thought that that image of seeing someone silhouetted against a projector screen was a nice image to present of a boy longing for someone else.’

The Language of Love was posted just over a week ago but already has over 20,000 views on YouTube.

Watch the film here: