Sexual tension and an air of unease seep into every frame of this finely calibrated work from filmmaker Stefan Krohmer and his scriptwriting cohort, Daniel Nocke.
There are seemingly no taboos in the polished, urbane life Miriam shares with her partner, André, and their 15-year-old son, Nils. So hardly an eyelid is batted when Nils invites his 12-year-old girlfriend, Livia, to spend the holidays with them. When a brazenly sensual Livia starts flirting with an older man, though, Miriam is compelled to question their possible romantic relationship. Little does she suspect that love also knows no taboos, despite what may be considered right or wrong.
The filmmakers have taken some contentious material with Summer '04 and turned it into a provocative and thrilling cinematic experience. As they themselves say, “We do not judge any of the events, but give the viewers the chance to make their own picture and, perhaps, to reject it afterwards.”