'Mambo Italiano' may be a comedy-drama movie, but the plot is actually based on a true story. The film was lovingly brought to life in 2003 by the skills of director Emile Gaudreault, but it started out as a stage play by Canadian writer Steve Galluccio and is the real-life tale of Gallucio's own experiences growing up on Toronto.
The thrust of the plot is that the central character Angelo, born to tough working-class Italian parents, moves out of home without getting married, which is a break with Italian traditions. His parents are shocked by this, but not as shocked as when he tells them he's gay. As he tries to deal with this, he must also provide support to his best friend Nino, who daren't come out himself out of fear of his mother's wrath.