,,Quell'estate con Irene". The film is characterised by its beauty. The beauty of nature. Through tranquillity. Adventurous Irene and quiet Clara spend time together at a camp and decide to spend the rest of their holidays together. But the two young people are only just recovering from an illness and are trying to make up for their youth in a short space of time.
The two characters cannot be seen through exactly. Their personalities remain vague and not very defined. Irene seems very lively at the beginning and gets herself and Clara into exciting and new situations. Clara is rather introverted at first. But as the film progresses, she adapts to Irene's character traits. The two not only change their swimming costumes, but also mirror each other in their development. It is clearly noticeable that Clara opens up more and more over the course of the film and Irene begins to close herself off. What is admirable about the two of them is that they find very clear words for their concerns and communicate well with each other. And this despite the fact that they are silent most of the time. Instead of talking, they prefer to lie on the beach or watch the landscape.
As the film progresses, the tension between the two grows ever greater. They become physically closer, but nothing officially happens between them. Irene's secretiveness is also clearly noticeable when she realises that Clara is having an affair with one of the boys from the beach. This tension is neither resolved nor addressed. Perhaps it's just as well. Perhaps an official love story between the two would also be superfluous in order to portray the love between Irene and Clara. Apart from the lack of a love story, the film is very reminiscent of "Call me by your name".
The camera work is very simple throughout and the scene changes are also very abrupt. The characters are usually filmed from the same perspective, from the side or from the front. The camera always remains at the same height and follows the movements of the characters. This dynamic creates a slow and calm atmosphere. It feels as if you could watch Irene and Clara as they experience things in real time. The filmmakers have paid particular attention to the faces. They are often shown for long periods of time, emphasising facial expressions. This also characterises Irene's recurring jokes with a vampire bite. In some scenes, Irene and Clara run along with other teenagers. It is often shown how the different characters move. They always run in synchronised, staggered patterns.
Sounds also play a decisive role in many moments, especially as only the bare essentials are talked about. Any accessories have also been omitted and limited to the bare minimum. This is why water noises and the sound of the wind contribute to a realistic and clearly perceptible atmosphere. The music was used very experimentally. The focus was on whistling, loud and weird sounds that lead to sensory overload for the audience. This sensory overload was often used as a stylistic device to depict the overwhelming demands and melancholy of the disease that still characterises the film, despite the idyllic backdrop.
,,Quell'estate con Irene" describes a summer full of emotions. The friendship, or love, between Irene and Clara is the centrepiece of the story. The two seem to recover from a similar past and begin to heal together. Music was used as an overwhelming element in the coming of age film and there is also a lack of concretisation in some places. Nevertheless, a big recommendation for the film, for a colourful and idyllic journey.
