Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story (2026) SXSW Film Review

Directed by: Ayden Mayeri

Written by: Ayden Mayeri, Barry Rothbart

Starring: Jessica Hall, Janet Kariuki, Ayden Mayeri

Documentary Film Review by: William Curzon

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CREDIT: Dessie Jackson

Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story follows four childhood friends who recorded an album in the early 2000s and drifted apart due to pursuing careers in different paths. Their music is a love letter to the Y2K era of pop music, in hopes of being like the Spice Girls. When their forgotten music resurfaces online 20 years later, it suddenly goes viral, and the four girls, now adults, reunite to spark their youthful magic once again. Divided into chapters that follow the girls as they remaster their album, this documentary sheds a bright light on nostalgia and rekindling old friendships.

The documentary is a unique concept, thanks to how the filmmakers mix themes of nostalgia, early 2000s girlhood and memory through the process of making an album. One of the most exciting elements of the piece is the blend of footage recorded on a VHS tape and the shift to handheld in the present-day interviews. The four friends reconnect through their art at a completely different stage in their lives, and they connect through nostalgia for the Y2K era of music and pop culture. The introduction to each member of the group is incredibly evocative, and the members offer a plethora of personality and perspective on their lives and their connection to the central figure, Ayden Mayeri. All four friends and members of the X-Cetra, including Jessica Hall, Ayden Mayeri, Janet Washburn and Mary Washburn, have their narratives fleshed out to a suitable degree, and the piece genuinely invests the viewer in their lives.

Ayden Mayeri is an endearing central figure thanks to her ambitious personality and commitment to the piece, serving as director, co-writer and producer. She keeps the piece utterly engaging throughout and is the glue that holds the documentary's thematic core together. The sequences involving X-Cetra remastering their album are aptly engrossing, anchored by each member's chemistry, creative prowess and sheer ambition for the material that shines through every scene. The pacing is electrifying thanks to the captivating material, which combines the album process with the group reminiscing on their childhood to enrich each track through diary entries and memories.

As the documentary is a love letter to the early 2000s and girlhood, X-Cetra, as a group, could potentially appeal to a broader audience, as the material could easily resonate with individuals who grew up during that decade. As the narrative primarily focuses on Ayden as the central figure, the brief exploration of her career as she grew up as an actress could also make viewers want to seek out her previous roles. The piece is also surprisingly emotionally resonant as each member unpacks their trauma and explores themes of toxic relationships and abuse. Despite slightly overstaying its welcome, most of the runtime is profoundly moving, and the piece wraps up in an emotionally satisfying manner.

Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story is a largely rewarding experience that opens a door for a new generation to be introduced to X-Cetra’s music and serves as a love letter to the Y2K era of music. While it may suffer from a prolonged conclusion and some repetitive sequences, it's a wonderful documentary that hopefully reaches a broader demographic after its festival run.