Summer After

The writer-director Josh Cox attempts to showcase the emotional journey of the 3 protagonists Mesa (Andrea Granera), Emily (Deepti Menon), and Leo (Mateo Correa) where all of them are trying to constantly discover themselves so that they can be satisfied with the lifestyle they lead in the future.

The plot of the short film revolves around one summer after an impassioned romance with a girl from out of town 17-year-old Mesa yearns to better understand herself and reconcile with her past on the peninsula of cape cod.

In the opening sequence of the movie long shot of a lunar eclipse is shown followed by the name of the film appearing on the screen. The white colour signifies purity and simplicity a trait essential for that is the art of self-discovery. The pinkish-white and bluish-black colour palette provide freshness to the subject matter it deals with. The soft music, natural lightings uplift the romance in the storyline. The film follows a nonlinear narrative and adds thrill and suspense to keep the audience hooked to the content. The extreme close-up shots, close-up shots help the viewers to understand the basic makeup of each character in the film. The set design, lighting, dialogues, costume, hair and makeup has been kept natural to complement the topic of the cinematic piece.

In terms of performance, Andrea Granera plays Messa who is lost, confused, and tied up in her emotions and desperately wants to peacefully coexist with other people around but her past is not letting her move on. Granera portrays the varied emotions efficiently through her voice modulation, body language, eyes, and facial expression allowing the audience to connect with her character and wish that Messa becomes both emotionally and physically stronger by the end of the film.

Deepti Menon as Emily is a treat to watch. She has also lost a loved one who was very dear to her but she understands the theories of life and maintains her calm and composure. Despite all the suffering, she has not lost her belief in the existence of real love and friendship.

Mateo Correa in the role of Leo is amazing. Leo effectively balances his love life and his duties when it comes to friendship. Correa understands the nuances of Leo the multi-layer character analysing the right mix of emotions, strength, and humour to build up an interesting character.

Summer After talks to its audience that the existence of darkness is temporary and there is hope and positivity that light always brings with it so we shouldn’t be disappointed with life. It also possesses a lot of colours with the ability to provide a better and brighter future. The short-film reiterates that love is the basis of life on Earth and it has different forms therefore it shouldn’t be judged. A romantic relationship and all the decisions related should only depend on the choices made by the duo involved in it. Emotions and Memories make- up important elements but living in the past is hard so one should cherish both elements to the fullest for healthy lifestyle dealing with the situation at hand is the best option for both the individual and the loved ones.