Summer - Chicago International Film Festival

SUMMER
a film by
Colette Bothof
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Anne is sixteen and lives in a remote village in the Southern Netherlands. A forgotten spot where
the seemingly endless fields are dominated by the omnipresent power plant and where electricity
cables criss-cross the sky and never stop humming. Anne’s circle comprises her family and
‘friends’ – or rather classmates and kids from the surrounding villages, all adolescents heading for
adulthood. In the week they cycle to school through the fields into the wind. At the weekend they
race along dike roads or go boating in the river. The mood is sultry as hormones chum around
their bodies.
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Anne is a bit of an outsider and through her eyes see the young people whose lives are closely
linked to hers. It’s a small village and everyone is connected to everyone else.
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During this sweltering summer, Anne starts feeling lonely and detached. That is, until she meets
Lena, who is new in town. Lena rides a motorbike and wears leather gear and is obviously
different from everyone else. They meet at the fuel station where Anne works in the weekends.
Anne quickly develops feelings for Lena, but they are feelings that she cannot fathom. However
they are so intense that she can’t turn and walk away from them either. In the local bars and clubs
she looks for Lena, just as Lena turns out to be looking for her. Love unfolds in all its tender
awkwardness.
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Things come to a head one evening when Anne and Lena, having finally found each other, leave
the village disco together and head to the meadow. They are followed, mocked and insulted by the
disco crowd. However, this only strengthens their love.
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By the end of the summer a chain of events causes the group of friends to disintegrate and
everyone goes their own way.
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“Summer” is a film about growing pains, about young people craving for independence while also
needing to fit in.
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‘Summer’ - director's statement
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ANNE is a 16 year old, quiet and rather inconspicuous girl. At the beginning of the film she, in
her own words, "lives in her brother's wake". She grows up in a working class environment, in
an isolated countryside area dominated by the local electricity plant. Not only do its giant masts
mark the surrounding landscape, but the plant also plays a pivotal socio-economic role in the
relatively closed village community, if only because all the men work there.
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In ‘Summer’ Anne looks back on the summer in which everything changed, the period in her life
in which she was transformed from a natural insider of the community to a sudden outsider
through her love for 'import girl' Lena. This coming of age drama tells the story of Anne's
growing up among her family and friends, of her step from puberty to adulthood, and her
changing perception of her surroundings. Through a subjective voice-over Anne shares her
thoughts and emotions, and draws the audience into her emotional development.
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Theme and genre
By choosing for Lena, Anne, who has always 'belonged' in the village, suddenly becomes an
outsider. At a certain point the way the villagers treat her is exactly how she and her friends
used to treat other outsiders.
Even though Anne's choice for Lena is of major importance for Anne's development, we do not
consider ‘Summer’ a lesbian coming out film. After all, Anne does not experience her
homosexual feelings as problematic. Our central focus is on growing up and away from a
sheltered, familiar life, and choosing one's own way.
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Anne does not flee to the anonymity of the big city, but stays in her village, accepting the
consequences of her love, because in her own way she is connected to the area where she
was born and bred.
Anne's perspective is the leading point of view of the film. But her development is not an
isolated one. She is part of a close, and rather closed, circle of friends and family, who have
been important to her all her life. Each person in this circle is part of the bigger story. Together,
they form the story of the group versus the individual who breaks away.
In this sense ‘Summer’ is a kaleidoscopic film. The stories of the other characters are
connected with Anne's story in the way village youngsters are connected to each other. An
event in one person's life has immediate impact on that of the others. Escaping this rule
requires strength, character and maturity. Anne's (future) identity is determined by how her
ability to stand apart and rise above (the morals of) the group and her surroundings.
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Arena
‘Summer’ takes place in a closed countryside community, an environment with its own rituals,
rules and habits. The protagonists live their lives under the smoke of the power plant, which is
often present in the picture as an overpowering force. And even when invisible, it still holds a
major influence in the protagonists' lives. Big city mentality and globalization have not reached
the village yet. The villagers live isolated from the rest of the world, without being aware of their
isolation. They form a close-knit community, and do not need outsiders.
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Anne's environment and that of her friends is a working class environment. Not rich, not
intellectual, not sophisticated. One could almost consider them 'the underbelly of society'. At the
same they are not 'white trash'; their pavements are swept, their furniture is polished.
Sometimes it seems like time has stood still in the village. Countryside habits, mentality and
morals are still very much present and rule people's interactions. To the fathers it is natural that
their lives centre around the power plant, in service of it. The mothers are all housewives, and
hardly able to control their growing children.
Partying, hard drinking, smoking: it is the order of things. After all, the grown-ups drink and
smoke plenty as well. It is the rule, the routine. The protagonists are all slightly too young for
their actions or the events happening to them. Too young to drive, too young to drink so much,
too young to have babies and marry. Still, it all takes place.
Even though ’Summer’ contains very few references to the story's exact location, the film in the
Biesbosch (a countryside area in the south of Holland), under the smoke of the Amercentrale, a
Dutch power plant with a cooling tower and a maze of electricity masts dominating the idyllic
landscape, visible to all surrounding villages. The landscape of the Biesbosch plays an
important role in the film, not just esthetically, but almost as a character in the film. The
Powerplant is like an almighty figure controlling the life of the local people.
The film's theme, coming of age, breaking away from one's nest, is a strongly universal,
timeless one. The story takes place in the here and now, but the choice of its arena, a religious
countryside village, provides a timeless setting, enabling us to make it a bit larger than contemporary - life.
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Style and form
In its one and a half hour screen time ‘Summer’ contains quite a few violent events: the rape of
Ruby, the abuse of aunt Door, the horrific car accident; far-reaching moments in the lives of the
protagonists and in that of Anne.
There is nothing gentle about the way characters treat each other, and the environment is not a
very stimulating or beneficial one to adolescents growing up. However, the tone of the film is
never very dark, in particular because of Anne's voice-over, which at times has a wonderfully
sobering and contrasting effect. This is one of ‘Summer’’s great strengths: the film does not
moralize or strive for political correctness. It has a light-heartedness and humour, which forms a
welcome contrast to the violence of events.
At no point is the film an indictment of the ugly circumstances in which the youths in question
grow up. Rather, it breathes optimism and celebrates the flexibility of people meeting with
adversity and the cards dealt by fate.
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The main character Anne too believes in "a natural order of things". She never looks at the
others from a position of superiority and does not moralize. To her, falling in love with another
girl is a blissful revelation. It is only the other's reactions that are problematic. For herself, she
does not consider it as good or bad. It just is.
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On various levels ‘Summer’ is a film of contrasts.
There is the constant tension between realism and poetry, beauty and ugliness, both in respect
to the protagonists and their behaviour, as to the surroundings they find themselves in. There is
the power plant, in discord with the idyllic landscape, the humour which wryly contrasts with the
seriousness of many of the events, the vastness of the landscape versus the intimate closeness
of emotional events, and the naturalness with which Anne accepts her homosexual feelings as
opposed to the rejection of the people surrounding her.
The visual style of the film emphasize these contrasts, to create a heightened reality. This style
also finds its motivation in the distance with which Anne observes her own life. The barren
ugliness of certain locations near the plant, are emphasized and opposed with romantic and
stylized images of the idyllic landscape. Cosy, dynamic, warm sequences oppose cold, static
sequences. Sometimes this contrast is present within one and the same shot. Beautiful
landscape will often be 'ruined' by the presence of the power plant.
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For many years I've admired the beautiful, piercing scripts and texts of writer Marjolein Bierens.
Without exception they are violent and moving stories. Poetical while at the same time very rough.
Stories that get under your skin, that one can empathize with, and that haunt one. ‘Summer’ is
such a story. With this script we want to make a film that is raw and harsh, but also life-affirming
and touching. A film that is grounded in reality, but at the same larger than life. A film in which
reality and poetry, beauty and ugliness, rawness and romance, tragedy and lightness coexist,
sometimes shrilly contrasting, sometimes complementing one another. A film that stays close to its
protagonists, especially to Anne, whose thoughts and emotions are shared through her voice-over.
Through her experience of events around her the audience takes part in her world.
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Both Marjolein and I grew up in small countryside villages. A lot of the scripts' circumstances are
familiar to us. Especially the estrangement from the surroundings of one's youth that comes with
growing up. However familiar these surroundings still are, they will never feel like 'home' again.
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Colette Bothof
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Summer main credits
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Director
Screenplay
Line Producer
Director of Photography
Production Design
Sound Design
Editor
Music
World Sales
Producers
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Colette Bothof
Marjolein Bierens
Annemiek van Gorp
Goert Giltay
Vincent de Pater
Mark Glynne
Michiel Reichwein
Jacco Gardner
Fons Merkies
M-appeal
Annemiek van Gorp
René Goossens
Cast
Anne
Lena
Carlijn
Ruby
De Peer
Farmhand
Anne’s mother
Anne’s father
Anne’s little brother
Aunt Door
Uncle Frits
Sigrid ten Napel
Jade Olieberg
Lisa Smit
Ella-June Henrard
Martijn Lakemeijer
Rik Verheye
Willemijn van der Ree
Steef Cuijpers
Pepijn van Putten
Eva Van der Gucht
Guido Pollemans
This film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund
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The one eyed king - Help me out
The ballad of little Jane - Cabinet of curiosities
Chameleon - Summer's game
All songs from the album Cabinet of Curiosities
Music and lyrics by Jacco Gardner
Performed by Jacco Gardner en Jos van Tol (drums)
Excelsior Records EXCEL 96322/Drie Publishing
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www.deproductie.nl
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www.m-appeal.com
Biography Colette Bothof (Harare, Zimbabwe, 1962)
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While studying Psychology and Communications, Colette Bothof started making short films and
news items After graduating cum laude, she attended the Dutch Film and Television Academy.
Since 1994, she’s been working as a screenwriter and director for film and television and on
various multidisciplinary and transmedia projects.
With her films she has won numerous awards a.o. the Panorama Award at the International Film
Festival Berlin for 'One Way Ticket to Oblivion', A Golden Calve for best TVfilm for 'Dwaalgast, at
the Dutch Film Festival a golden Calve and 4 nominations for 'Black Swans' at the Dutch Film
Festival and The Europrix Toptalent Award for the trans-media series Kika and Bob.
Besides her film work Colette has been (a.o.) on the board of the Dutch Directors Guild and
VEVAM (CMO for film/tv), an advisor for the Media Fund, the Dutch Film fund and The Amsterdam
Arts Council and working as a teacher/consultant in screenwriting and directing.
The past three years she has been head of the directing department at the Dutch Film Academy.
She lives in Amsterdam and has two children.
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Filmography
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2014 Summer (Feature): director
2013 The incredible adventures of Kika & Bob 2nd series (26*15): concept, writer, consultant
2009 The incredibly adventures of Kika & Bob (crossmedia (tv)series 26*15): concept, writer,
director
2009 Over en uit (Short): writer, director)
2008 Kika and Bob on Safari (book, author)
2007 The travel diary of Kika and Bob (book, author)
2005 Dwaalgast (2005): co-writer, directer
2005 Zwarte zwanen / Black Swans (Feature): co-writer, directoe
2004 Le ciambelle (Short): director
2003 Dwaalgast (TV Movie): co-writer, director
2000 Angel (script): writer
1999 Mermaid (Dancefilm): writer, director
1996 The Attack (Short): writer, director
1994 One Way Ticket to Oblivion (Short): writer, director
1989-2004: various TV-drama: writer, director, scriptconsultant/dramatist
1985-1989: various newsitems and short documentaries.
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Colette Bothof and Sigrid ten Napel - photo by Jan Wich
Company profile De Productie
!Annemiek van Gorp and René Goossens have been working together in "De Productie" since September
1998. De Productie produces art-house drama and documentaries with a strong social involvement and an
artistic challenge. We regularly participate in co-productions and we work with both budding talent and
experienced directors. We try, where possible, to bring the two together. De Productie does not only intend
to be a meeting place for local and national talent, but also a reliable partner in international co-productions.
!Films
!Summer – feature by Colette Bothof based on the theatre play by Marjolein Bierens. Script Marjolein
Bierens with support from the Dutch Film Fund (intendant)
!Above us All – feature 3D by Eugenie Jansen based on the original screenplay by Kim Niekerk, with
support from the Dutch Film Fund, Media Fund, CoBO fund in co-production with KRO television and Minds
Meet. Official selection Berlin Film Festival 2014 Generation
!Sexy Money (2014)– documentary by Karin Junger with support from the Dutch Film Fund, Ikon, CoBO,
Media Fund Official selection International film Festival Rotterdam
!I am the same, I am another (2013) – feature by Caroline Strubbe a co production with Minds Meet.
Competition Toronto 2013
http://www.flandersimage.com/browse-films/detail/deep-in-a-dream-of-you
!Dead Body Welcome – feature by Kees Brienen with support from the Dutch Film Fund (O&O)
Official selection IFFR
!And Then One Day short by Heddy Honigmann, IFFR 2012, Movies that Matter, Montreal, Utrecht etc
!Nick – feature by Fow Pung Hu a coproduction with IDTV Film BV, with support from the Dutch Film Fund,
Rotterdam Media Fund.
!C’est déjà l’été (2010) – feature by Martijn Maria Smits supported by Het Nederlands Fonds voor de Film
en Het Rotterdam Media Fund in co-production with Tarantula Films. Official selection VPRO Tiger Award
Competition IFFR 2010. Competition Indie Lisboa, competition Edinburgh International film Festival, Namur,
Goteborg, Utrecht.
!Meat/Vlees (2010) – feature by Victor Niewenhuijs and Maartje Seyferth, coproduction with Moskito Films.
Official selection main programme IFFR 2010, Toronto 2010
!La cantante de tango (2009) – feature by Diego Vignatti Martinez; a co-production with Tarantula Films,
Minds Meets and Mobilis supported among others by Eurimages, VAF, Rotterdam and Dutch Film Fund.
Competition Locarno 2009
http://www.celluloid-dreams.com/festivals_markets/2009/locarno_5_15th_aug/in_competition/tango_singer/
synopsis
!Lost Persons Area (2009) – feature by Caroline Strubbe; a co production with Minds Meet and Artemis.
Cinemart 2007/Berlin 2007 co-production market. Supported by VAF Eurimages Rotterdam and Dutch Film
Fund. Official selection Cannes Semaine de la Critique (SACD prize for best script).
http://www.lostpersonsarea.com/LPA/LostPersonsArea.html
!Koning van de Maas (2008) (King of the Meuse) – television drama 13 episodes for RTV Rijnmond with
support from Film Fund Rotterdam
!Shylock (2008) – adaptation by Michal Shabtay of the theatre play by Garreth Amstrong in co-production
with TGA, NIKmedia and with support of the Dutch Film Fund and Stifo. Selection International Film
Festival Jerusalem 2008
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Una Ballata Bianca/ A White Ballad (2007) – feature by Stefano Odoardi based on the screenplay by
Kees Roorda (Dutch Italian co production) Official selection IFFR 2007 (Sturm und Drang). Winner of the
Golden Reel Award for best film on the Tibureon International Film Festival 2007.
http://www.tiburonfilmfestival.com/eventInfo.php?event_id=160
!The Mystery of the Sardine (2005) – feature by Erik van Zuylen, based on the novel by S. Themerson in
co-production with VPRO television, with support of the Dutch Film Fund, Rotterdam Film Fund, CoBO
Fund, Thuiskopie Fund and Stifo. www.hetmysterievandesardine.nl
!Valentin (2002) – feature by Alejandro Agresti, in co-production with First Floor Features Amsterdam,
DMVB films Paris, RCA films Buenos Aires, with support of the Dutch Film Fund, ARTE, Canal+ and the
Argentine Film Fund. Golden Kalf best director Utrecht, 7 Silver Condors Argentina, best film Cartagena Int.
Film Festival, Mar del Plata, Newport, Oslo, Imagen Foundation etc.
!The Secret of Catherine the Great (2002) – documentary co-production initiated by Sophimages
Brussels; with support from the Dutch Film Fund, Rotterdam Film Fund, Eurimages, AVRO, Arte etc.
!On The Waterfront, the video diaries (2001) – various directors in co-production with the International
Film Festival Rotterdam; supported by the Rotterdam Film Fund.
!On The Old Roman Road (2001) – feature, Don Askarian in co-production with Don Film with support from
the Dutch Film Fund, Rotterdam Film Fund, Hubert Bals Fund, WDR.
!The Letter (2000) – short by Vasil Hristov in co-production with Blue Train Productions, Alexander Jankovic
and Digiprop Films, Macedonia; supported by the Dutch Film Fund and the Macedonian Film Fund. The
Letter was awarded the prize for best director at the Manaki Brothers Film Festival in Betholla, Macedonia
(October 2000); Macedonian entry Oscars 2000 and won a “Silver Star Award” at the Houston International
Film Festival 2001.
!The Referee (2000) – short 35mm, 15', Vasil Hristov with support from Rotterdam Film Fund & VPRO
television.
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