My Summer of Love

Limited theatrical release didn't stop this BBC production becoming a reasonably sized hit in Europe last Autumn, culminating in a bunch of Independent Award nominations for all involved - including five nods at the increasingly high profile British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), for best film, best director (Pawel Pawlikowski), best actress (Natalie Press), best newcomer (Emily Blunt) and best supporting actor (Paddy Considine). Pawlikowski and Considine had worked together before on the 2000 film The Last Resort and both men have terrific influence on this wonderful little film, but it is to the two young leads that the praise must go - for relative newcomers they are both electric on screen - and together fuse with tangible chemistry to create a sensual whole that drives the narrative into something very special. Pawlikowski has an eye for simplicity and almost ethereal beauty, making the film reminiscent of The Virgin Suicides, Morvern Callar or even Picnic At Hanging Rock - and it certainly stands up in such brilliant company. He is ultimately a realist in style, so it is interesting that this deals with the ideas of fantasy, romantiscism and escapism. At just over 80 minutes long it never has a chance to become tedious and this is another skill lesser directors should take note of; an atmosphere evocative of Summer days that last forever, daydreams and first love ooze out of the screen and sit happily side by side with the harsher realities of Mona's life, and almost before you know it you are watching the credits roll feeling quite different than you did an hour and a half ago... One of the best DVDs I've seen this year! 9/10 Kx