“A poignant drama that addresses the subject of death in a manner that is simple but effective.”

Saying goodbye to a loved one is a daunting process, and one that not many of us are able to fathom without some sense of dread. Yet, it’s something that we all face at some point, and the only hope is that we are fortunate enough to bid farewell to those we love while they are able to receive our affection. In her striking feature-length debut Sylvia Le Fanu uses this theme as the centerpiece of her conversation about death and its obstacles, for both the person at the end of their life and the people who are witnessing their gradual demise. My Eternal Summer centers on Fanny, a quiet teenager who closes out her school year and ventures to the Danish countryside with her parents to spend the summer in the most idyllic of surroundings, as seems to be their routine. However, this year is different, since while they do spend their days engaged in the same simple acts of rest and relaxation, a sad reality lingers over each moment – Fanny’s mother is terminally ill, and they have all come to realize that this is her final summer and that she will very likely die at some point over the next few months. This makes it a melancholic trip, and certainly the last of its kind, at least in the way the young protagonist has known them to be. Simultaneously driven by a sense of sadness for the imminent loss of a loved one, and the catharsis of knowing their suffering is not going to last much longer, My Eternal Summer is a film as complex as its emotions.

Death is a concept that has been widely explored throughout human history, and artists have attempted to craft their own understanding by creating works that directly address the subject from many different angles. My Eternal Summer is a fascinating work primarily because of how it uses contradiction as a narrative tool – it takes place in summer, a season associated with health and vitality, which sharply contrasts with the theme of death that lingers heavily over the story. It is also mostly situated in gorgeous surroundings, where the matriarch of this small family chooses to spend her final summer, luxuriating in the splendor of the natural world as she quietly prepares to transition from this life to whatever comes next. The film smartly doesn’t ever veer towards discussing the concept of life after death, avoiding that debate entirely, as her family does its best to make these few weeks seem as normal as possible. Thematically, My Eternal Summer is an exceptionally strong film, since it looks at perhaps the most well-known but feared inevitability, a universal experience with which we all must come to terms at some point. It layers its tense, challenging narrative with a sense of steadfast simplicity that speaks to the soulfulness of the story and the importance of its message, which is not an easy discussion to introduce, but one that is nonetheless vital to the development of this touching drama.  

What soon becomes evident about My Eternal Summer is that this film is defined not only by its themes, but also the manner in which they are handled. The subject matter at its heart is objectively difficult, and anyone who has lost a loved one may find it challenging, particularly those final few moments where death finally does make its inevitable appearance. The execution is as integral to the story as the narrative, specifically because Le Fanu is navigating such a narrow emotional tightrope; any sense of overt sentimentality or heavy-handed storytelling would reduce the impact of the film. The director approaches the story from a direct and unfurnished perspective, albeit one that is never cold or clinical in the way that we might expect from an honest depiction of someone’s final days. Instead, it uses a more subtle style of storytelling – one built on silences and small emotional cues – to explore the harrowing experience of watching someone slowly fade away. Through all of this, My Eternal Summer is still able to find warmth and comfort in unexpected places, with a few small, subtle touches of humor softening the emotional and bleak outlook that we are presented with at the start, and accurately depicting the sometimes challenging journey of bidding farewell to a loved one.  

A poignant drama that addresses the subject of death in a manner that is simple but effective, My Eternal Summer is a powerful film, and one not always comfortable in how it chooses to confront some of its emotional content. Death as a subject is never easy to discuss in any context, and the director has the challenge of making a film set in that vague period between life and death, where time feels elongated beyond comprehension and yet there is still a desire to cherish every moment, in fear of the remorse that will come with the inevitable final breath. Le Fanu takes a bold approach with this film, particularly in how she filters the story through the eyes of the young protagonist (in a stunning performance from Kaya Toft Loholt) and follows her journey as she undergoes the ordeal of handling her mother’s imminent passing. Through this experience we find that it is possible to begin the process of healing before even reaching the apex of the pain she is bound to encounter, which is one of the few reprieves that can come with watching a loved one slowly fade away, as opposed to experiencing a sudden loss. A film built primarily on human interactions, My Eternal Summer draws our attention to the smallest details as it navigates the harsh reality faced by this family and depicts their journey towards recovery, all of which is done with tenderness and heart.