Movie Review Summer 1993

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The film festival featured two movies today, with Summer 1993 being the first. A Spanish Catalan film from 2017, based on the childhood of the writer, Carla Simon. It tells of a six year old girl, Frida, sent to a foster-family upon the death of her Mother due to a mysterious disease (AIDS). She has barely had time to begin to mourn when she is sent from Barcelona to the Spanish countryside. Her new parents, and their own three year old daughter, Anna try to make her welcome but their evasion of discussion of Frida's Mum's death upsets her and she rebels several times, resulting twice in Anna getting injured, before Frida finally gets to discuss the truth of her Mum's fate candidly, and realizes at last that she is safe and loved. A movie that goes from heart-breaking to life-reaffirming in a heartbeat. The performances by the children, especially Laia Artigas as Frida are simply amazing. I'll review the movie Sweet Bean later. Meanwhile here is the Youtube trailer for Summer 1993. Arthur Chappell