Paul Allaer
Summer 1993" (2017 release from Catalonia; 97 min.) brings the story of Frida, a 6 or 7 yr. old girl. As the movie opens, we see Frida's stuff being boxed up, and Frida along with a couple driving out of the city. The couple discuss the situation in hushed terms but we pick up quickly that Frida's mom just passed away (we're not quite sure of what), and that Frida is now taken care of by her mom's brother Esteve and his wife Marga. The couple have a daughter of their own, 3 or 4 yr. old Anna. How will Frida adopt to her new environment? more importantly, how will the little girl process the death of her mom? At this point we're 10 min. into the mvie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.Couple of comments: this movie is written and directed by Carla Simon, based on her memoirs and with Frida standing in for Carla. Set in rural Catalonia, we observe how Frida tries to settle into this new family, while at the same time dealing with her overwhelming sense of loss and sadness. Not surprisingly, Frida is at times scared, confused, angry, or withdrawn (and at times all of those at once). There seemingly is no "plot" to speak of, but that is in fact not the case at all. It's just that the "plot" reveals itself with subtlety. Of course none of this would have been possible but for the astonishing performance of the little girl who plays Frida, wow, just wow Not enough can be said about that. The director smartly gives us a lot of interaction between Frida and Anna, with at times uninterrupted shots that seemingly go forever (in reality: a minute or two). The closing scene of the movie is both brilliant and heartbreaking. (Afterwards, the movie shows it is dedicated to the memory of Carla Simon's mother.)"Summer 1993" premiered at the 2017 Berlin film festival, to immediate acclaim. I have no idea why it's taken 18 months for the movie to reach US theaters. The movie opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The Saturday matinee screening where I saw this at was attended nicely (but nowhere close to sold out). If you like a top notch foreign movie that examines how a young girl copes with her mom's death, I readily recommend you seek this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.
wmmoose
One of the most beautiful films I've seen in recent memory. The gorgeous cinematography provides a backdrop for a look at loss through the eyes of a child, in this case played by Laia Artigas who gives a truly arresting performance The film has been compared to other Spanish classics that feature child protagonists like Cría Cuervos and The Spirit of the Beehive. While I thoroughly enjoyed what appears to be a pretty clear nod to Cría Cuervos in the scene where the little girls are "playing adults," this film certainly stands on its own. Also, although I've seen relatively few films in Catalan, this has undoubtedly been my favorite, so I'd say this also qualifies as a triumph for Catalan cinema!Highly recommended.
Joe Stemme
Carla Simon's well-observed tale of a young girl who's orphaned and forced to move into her uncle's home. Frida (Laia Artigas ) is the girl and her uncle Esteve (David Verdaguer) has a wife Marga (Bruna Cusi) and an even younger daughter Anna (Paula Robles). Frida's mother's passing of an "illness" isn't defined at the outset, but, the constant medical tests the young girl has to be subjected to and the panic that ensues when she bleeds on a playground give you a pretty good idea of what will be revealed (not to mention setting it 25 years ago). But, SUMMER 1993 isn't really about that topic, it's more about coping without parents, and trying to blend in with her uncle's family. It's often awkward, and even painful, but it's never less than perceptive even if it never quite reaches the next level. The movie's path never seems in doubt, no matter the obstacles put in the characters' way. The music selections are interesting and unexpected with touches of soulful jazz. The ending concludes on a different note than one might forsee - but, it's just about right. This was Spain's official submission for the Foreign Language Oscar last year (it was not nominated or short-listed).
