Childhood grief touchingly explored

POIGNANT Bruna Cusí, David Verdaguer and Laia Artigas star in ‘Summer 1993’.

Westport Film Club rounds off its 2018 season at the W Cinema tomorrow night (Wednesday) at 8.45pm with ‘Summer 1993’.
Winner of Best First Feature at the Berlin Film Festival in 2017 for director Carla Simón, this autobiographical film follows six-year-old Frida after she moves to the countryside from Barcelona following the death of her mother from an AIDS-related illness.
Her new life on her uncle’s Catalonian farm is initially baffling to Frida, who is frightened of chickens and doesn’t know the difference between a lettuce and a cabbage. Though her home is warm and loving, and her new little sister is adoring to the point of annoyance, Frida is isolated by her grief and confusion.
Based on Carla Simón’s own experiences after her parents died from AIDS in 1993, this passionate project is delicate and atmospheric, with child performances that have been praised for their naturalism and vulnerability. Despite the beautiful sun-drenched setting of Catalonia and the potentially nostalgic look at rural life, the film manages to remain a poignant portrait of childhood loss.

Unrated; Spanish with English subtitles. Non-members welcome. Tickets, €10, available for purchase from 8.30pm on Wednesday, December 5. No January screening.