A One Mann’s Movies review of “My Eternal Summer” (2024) (from the London Film Festival).
Original Title: Min evige sommer.
My first real gem of a movie at this year’s LFF. Sylvia Le Fanu’s “My Eternal Summer” is a gorgeously shot and beautifully told Danish story of a teen’s final journey with her mother.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
16-year-old Fanny (Kaya Toft Loholt) is spending her last summer before ‘university’ (or the Danish equivalent of) at her parent’s Summer House by the sea. But her mother is in decline due to a terminal illness.
Certification:
UK: NR; US: NR. (This has not yet been rated by the BBFC. I would expect it to be a ’15’ based on the subject matter and some distressing scenes.)
Talent:
Starring: Kaya Toft Loholt, Maria Rossing, Anders Mossling, Jasper Kruse Svabo, Mika Hyllekvist Nielsen, Maja Osmani Winther, Fredrik Stenberg Ditlev-Simonsen.
Directed by: Sylvia Le Fanu.
Written by: Mads Lind Knudsen & Sylvia Le Fanu.
Running Time: 1h 45m.
“My Eternal Summer” Summary:
Positives:
- A touching and deeply moving story.
- Fine leading performances.
- Beautifully photographed.
Negatives:
- Fanny’s casting.
Review of “My Eternal Summer”:
A young lady going through both teen-angst and hell.
Central to the story is the young and attractive Fanny (Kaya Toft Loholt) who is a typically rebellious teen both desperately wanting approval from her parents (she tries to steer them to the ‘right’ answer in a personality test!) but also to kick-back against them at the same time. She is also constantly questioning herself, praying to God that if, through a miracle, He makes her mother Karin (Maria Rossing) better she will work hard to be a “better daughter”. Similarly we learn through her Mum’s diary that she similarly questions whether she has been a good enough mother. And thus do the paths of many teens and their parents cross in the night!
Fanny also has a rather tempestuous relationship with her father Johan (Anders Mossling) but much of that you feel is down to the stress of the family situation: there is love behind it all.
Fanny is also in love with Jamie (Jasper Kruse Svabo), who visits for sex but who otherwise lives away and aloof. Through various mechanisms (some very comical) we generally get the impression that Fanny is digging in the wrong place and her love match really lies elsewhere.
Karin’s journey
We are never explicitly told what Karin’s progressive illness is. Given her problems with her legs I initially assumed MND, but a later reference to “lumps” led me to believe it is cancer. Either way, as we progress through the “Eternal Summer” we witness the decline of the vibrant Karin as the disease takes its toll. The staircase in their house (which frankly, with its lack of bannisters, looks like a death-trap for able-bodied people) acts as a physical barrier for Karin to engage with her bedroom-based daughter. It makes for an interesting metaphor.
This is not to say that there is not joy along the way. Karin clearly has ‘good days’ and ‘very bad days’. On a ‘good day’, a cliff walk is a delight as the trio embrace the sunshine and the sea air. This is just beautifully photographed by cinematographer Jan Bastian Muñoz Marthinsen: in general, the cinematography is an utter delight.
Writer/Director Sylvia Le Fanu and co-writer Mads Lind Knudsen also deal a fascinating wild-card at a birthday celebration for Karin in the form of a good-looking Norwegian man called Tom (Fredrik Stenberg Ditlev-Simonsen). Fanny learns that Karin was Tom’s college tutor some 10 years before. In a surprising touching scene, Fanny spies Karin and Tom in quiet conversation alone in the garden. There is nothing specifically implied…. it might have been a perfectly boring conversation between the two of them. But something about the way it is filmed implied to me that something more might have been going on between the young student and his teacher.
Quietly devastating for anyone who’s been there.
Out in the foyer of the BFI, after this showing, there was a small group of ladies in a huddle sobbing their hearts out. I can understand why. There is a scene in this film of a hospital death (you’ll never guess who) that is one of the most realistic and beautiful moments of a passing that I have ever seen put on film. Having been through just this scenario (with my dearly-departed mother) I can testify to that. The film will resonate strongly with anyone who’s been there.
There is also a beautifully moving scene as the Danish nurses tenderly talk to the body as they are ‘dressing it’: “I’m just going to clean your mouth now Karin”. So beautiful.
Prepare for SERIOUS egg on Bob Mann’s face!
The only real issue I had with this film is with the casting of Kaya Toft Loholt as Fanny. (This is DEFINITELY NOT a criticism of Loholt’s acting… quite the opposite in fact… see below). But when the film started I thought she was an young-adult schoolteacher. (I’ve actually written down “Schoolteacher” on my pad!). Then when it is clear she was a student I assumed that she was leaving “Upper 6th” (UK term) and was 18 years old. The film then reveals that she is supposed to be 16 years old (IMDB seems to say 15!) and I went “Nope! Don’t believe it”. Because she looks to be about 24! This perception is amplified when her school friends Christina (Mika Hyllekvist Nielsen) and Nanna (Maja Osmani Winther), who do look 16, arrive.
Now, I’ve written this down and have only now looked up how old Kaya Toft Loholt is on IMDB. Unfortunately – as a dagger to my credibility – I find out that the young actress is…. SIXTEEN! (WTF!!!). #EggOnMyFace! I would argue that I’m not WRONG about this casting comment, since I genuinely thought this and I suspect other viewers may feel the same.
Whereas Cailee Spaeny is probably going to be playing late-teen roles for the next 10 years, Loholt could probably easily get away with playing mid-20 roles now! My argument at this point was to be that it is impossible to find an actual 16-year-old who could deliver the depth of emotion required for the role of Fanny. So that leads me on to…
The Acting
I thought Kaya Toft Loholt delivered a brilliant performance given that she was actually 20+. Now I learn that she is only 16 (and probably only 15 during filming) it’s nothing short of miraculous. She perfectly portrays the pain of ‘true love’ at that age; the selfish and self-centred actions; the hormone-fuelled battle with herself; and her reactions to seeing the devestating decline of her mother. This often emerges as RAGE. When she is left alone with her mother she explodes when her Dad returns from a grocery shopping trip (how unreasonable!): “YOU KNOW I DON’T WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE WITH HER” she storms.
In the supporting roles of the Mum and Dad, Maria Rossing and Anders Mossling are both excellent. I was particularly impressed by Mossling who has a much quieter role than the other two but he pitches it quite impeccably. During his speech at Karin’s birthday meal he memorably says “You have never really lived until you have found somebody to die for” wishing desperately that he could swap places with Karin before breaking down and being unable to continue. It’s a great bit of acting.
Joy and humour
In a story with such a heavy central event you would be forgiven for thinking that overall the film would be a real downer. But actually, Sylvia Le Fanu directs with such panache and heart that I didn’t come out of the screening feeling like that at all. Yes, there is great sadness in it, but the story is interlaced with moments of great humour and heart. At one point, for example, Fanny and Karin are both sorry for themselves and quietly weeping as they are both watching an inane cycling event on the TV. They realise the absurdity of their situation and both burst into uncontrollable laughter as Johan walks in. I’m not sure if this scene was scripted or just happened through improvisation and the actors just went with it. But it is just a priceless and magical movie moment.
Sex!
One thing that the Christian Right in the US might get exercised with (if it is released there) is the implied sex (not actually seen other than through some naked cuddling) between the 16 year old and her boyfriend. It’s worth noting that the age of consent in Denmark is 15, but this is still subject to specific legislation and restrictions. But nothing implied by the film would, as far as I can see, be illegal in Denmark.
Triggers
At the heart of this story is a battle against a terminal illness (which I presume to be cancer) so this may be triggering for some viewers.
Summary Thoughts on “My Eternal Summer”
This is a real gem of a movie and might already be (on the first day!) my “find” of the LFF. (Last year it was “Fallen Leaves” which made my Top 10 for the year.) I’m not sure when this is due for a general UK release, but when it is, make tracks for it!
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
At the time of writing, not available in the Justwatch app.
Trailer for “My Eternal Summer”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjX-TneoIwU .
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