Federico Moccia's novel Tre Metri Sopra Il Cielo (which translates as 'Three Steps Over Heaven') was a real teen phenomenon in Italy: first published in 1992, it soon went out of print, but high-school students continued to circulate photocopied copies of the work - one of which eventually found its way into the hands of producer Riccardo Tozzi at Cattleya.

A contemporary, Rome-set variation on the age-old 'nice girl falls for rough boy' story, Moccia's book is no literary classic; but it has a solid teen appeal that is echoed faithfully in the film version, with its obtrusive indie rock soundtrack...