MQFF NOTES: Zomer (2015, Dir. Colette Bothof)

Anne (Sigrid ten Napel) is a quiet Dutch girl living under a monolithic nuclear power plant in the deepest, darkest corner of The Netherlands. She's not the only silent one though. All the women around her keep tight-lipped. Her mother does, unless she's nagging the family. Her auntie and cousin do; they're being beaten by Anne's uncle. Her friend does, she's been ostracised for an unwanted pregnancy.

Pretty much the only people in Anne's world who are loud are the men. Her father, his friends, her brother, his friends. You get the picture. The men fill up the space here.

The only time the women make any noise is when they are being raped.

This probably doesn't sound like a particularly pleasant situation for anyone involved, and oftentimes it's not, but director Colette Bothof and writer Marjolein Bierens put it about as par for the course in Anne's world. Thankfully, this summer, she's ready for a change and as luck would have it, sexy biker Lena (Jade Olieberg) blows into town.

The Dutch have a habit of going pretty broad in the cinema, generally to disappointing effect; Zomer though manages to push the stereotypes to just before breaking point, giving the film a surprisingly even handed tone. Flowing on from this, Bothof manages to balance gender and sexuality concerns with an exuberant jab at rural parochialism, smoothing it all over with some well-pitched nostalgia. There’s even a hint of Spetters-era Paul Verhoeven here.

Behind the youthful rebellion, Zomer is surprisingly far reaching and hard hitting. Anne and Lena's central courtship certainly draw much of the attention (Anne is our obvious point of identification and both ten Napel's and Olieberg's performances are captivating) but before the film climaxes, Bothof proves she's got a lot more on her mind than by-the-numbers first love. She turns in a multi-fronted attack on the patriarchy.

Though it's not pulled off effortlessly (I'm sure there are better places to consummate your mutual attraction than right next to the road, especially when an angry mob is coming for you), the attempt deserves respect. This is women-led cinema that actually feels like it has broken free of the male viewpoint. It’s fresh. It’s fun. It’s informative.

But ready yourself for cries of #notallmen if you’re watching it with a mixed group.

★★★☆

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