Director Alessandra Lacorazza's award-winning drama "In the Summers," pays homage to the hidden nuances and unspoken wounds of family life, unfolding through the experiences of sisters Eva and Violeta during their annual summer visits to their father, Vicente. Despite Vicente’s endeavor to conceal his internal demons, Eva and Violeta bear witness to his anger, his brokenness, and paradoxically, his love for them.
In "In the Summers," different actresses portray the sisters each summer, with Sasha Calle and Lío Mehiel playing the adult Eva and Violeta. They present the characters as emotional beings embroiled in a turbulent sea of feelings accumulated over three tumultuous summers. Rather than a dramatic explosion of sentiments, Lacorazza’s film maintains a haunting quietness, focusing on the devastation in what remains unspoken by the characters.
The film showcases Vicente, a Latinx father figure, in all his complexities, brilliantly challenging generic stereotypes. In a world oscillating on the fine edge of love and abuse, Eva and Violeta navigate their solace amidst their father's volatile moods, synchronizing their emotional rhythms to bear the burdens before another cycle begins.
In a discussion with RogerEbert.com, Lacorazza, Calle and Mehiel highlight the enriching experience of working together, particularly how to honestly and respectfully represent familial trauma on screen. They also mention their unique approach to cementing their on-screen sister relationship, which involved interactions with younger actresses portraying their characters and internalizing their pasts to present a consistent character evolution. The conversation reveals the meticulous attention to detail that Lacroazza has woven into her film.
June, who identifies as queer like both Calle and Mehiel, mentions the special bond she found in the shared understanding and experiences she had with her actors. She appreciated the actors’ ability to hold and reflect the emotional burdens upon their faces, often without dialogue, something which she confesses may not always be possible.
The interview also brings up the pivotal relevance of food in the film, with Lacroazza admitting that she associates food with family connections while her actors spoke about the authenticity food can bring to a performance.
"In the Summers" is an honest portrayal of how to maneuver the fine line between honoring and being truthful to familial trauma, a revelation that goes beyond the specificity of the characters and taps into a universal emotional journey. Cross-legged on the blurred boundaries of autobiography and fiction, the film imparts a broader image about parental weaknesses, individual growth, and life's complex emotionality.
