Summer ’04

Colour, 35 mm
Germany, 2006, 97 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

At 40, Miriam’s life seems ideal. She is beautiful and self-assured. Her contented relationship with her partner André and their 15-year-old son Nils is symbolised by their idyllic summer house by the sea. But then Nils invites his 12-year-old girlfriend Livia to spend the holidays with them, and Miriam finds herself drawn against her will into a sexual tug-of-war with the precocious young girl. This contest unlocks previously unimagined reserves of jealousy, bitterness and self-doubt. The tension builds as the plot veers from one unexpected twist to the next. Krohmer’s second feature was lauded as a combination of the light touch of Eric Rohmer and the disturbing narrative typical for Michael Haneke. A provocative movie that will undoubtedly touch a chord in many, especially female viewers.

About the director

Stefan Krohmer  (b. 1971, Balingen) studied theatre, film and television in Erlangen, and then film direction at the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy in Ludwigsburg. He started making short films in 1992 and came up with his graduation film Barracuda Dancing for TV in 1999. His feature debut They’ve Got Knut (Sie haben Knut) was awarded the German Film Critics’ Prize for Best Screenplay.