A languid summer sailing expedition is upended by family secrets in this visually stunning and inventive feature debut.

Babis, a single father, takes his adolescent twins Konstantinos and Elsa on a sailing holiday to the island of Poros for more than just a dose of sunshine. Amid frustrating attempts at fishing, frictions between father and son, and the twins’ sibling-specific oscillations between squabbling and friendship, they cross paths with a group of fellow holiday-makers, including a woman named Anna who may hold the key to unlocking mysteries from their past.

Taking charge of writing, directing, editing and even composing music for his feature debut, self-taught Greek director Kostis Charamountanis’s Cannes-selected first feature is far from just another sun-drenched coming-of-age tale. In exploring the complexities of familial relationships, his unconventional and experimental editing style – letting some scenes play out in reverse, some in silence – instead stretches the narrative in unexpected ways. Propelled by the charming, easy chemistry of young actors Konstantinos Georgopoulos and Elsa Lekakou, Kyuka Before Summer’s End is truly one of a kind.

“Surprisingly dark … This small, unassuming film catches you by surprise.” – Cineuropa