While there are countless "coming of age" stories, very few have managed to rattle me quite like Alante Kavaite's The Summer of Sangaile, a film that loudly pronounces the talents of a refreshing and unique voice in director Alante Kavaite. Taking place in the Lithuanian countryside, The Summer of Sangaile is centered around a quiet, angst-fueled teenager, Sangaile, who is too afraid of failure and the rejection of the world around her to ever totally be free. Vacationing with her family for the summer, Sangaile becomes enthralled with the world of stunt planes, though her own personal doubts and fears, something that is only re-enforced by her strict, cold parents, make it practically impossible for her to ever step into a cockpit. Through a chance encounter Sangaile meets Auste, a free-spirited and expressive woman who couldn't be more different, and as the two become more intimate, Auste becomes the spark needed for Sangaile to take a leap of faith, discover her individuality, and ultimately overcome her fears. Calling this film a story about "coming out" would be doing it a disservice, as Sangaile's journey to discover her burdening sexuality is just one piece of her the film's ability to capture a young woman becoming comfortable with herself. The Summer of Sangaile is about discovering oneself, the importance of individuality. Through the relationship with Auste, Sangaile discovers intimacy, the empowerment of being loved and showing love, something that eventually helps her overcome her deep-seeded insecurities and find her own strength. As powerful and well developed as the story and characterizations are, what makes them work and elevates The Summer of Sangaile is the superb direction. From the opening scene of The Summer of Sangaile it becomes apparent that director Alante Kavaite is a visually expressive filmmaker who relies heavily on image, sound, and symbolism to effectively transport the viewer into the psyche of her main protagonist. The sequence finds Sangaile watching the latest aerial show, intoxicated by the dangerous death defying stunts above her. The planes twisting and turning in the sky evokes a sense of true freedom, a visual symbolic representation of something Sangaile doesn't have, the first of many powerful uses of symbolism the filmmaking will use throughout this stunning film. The Summer of Sangaile's visual storytelling is lyrical and dreamlike, with Kavaite serving up a unique brand of visual poetry that captures the perils of its main character. From more simple aspects of the filmmaking like how the filmmaker uses extremely tight framing early on to express the unease Sangaile has when faced with intimacy, to dreamlike symbolism involving the freedom of the sky, and the tranquil aspects of nature, this is a film with a unique and stunning vision.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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