Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: GLORIOUS SUMMER [SXSW Film 2025 - Austin, Texas]

The aspect of "Glorious Summer" [Global] can be baked within the structure of its ideals. Perhaps more suited to the Visions category, it is bathed in metaphor, almost in the concept of the muses. Three women go through ideas of preparation in a palace almost as if they were being molded by gods from above (which we almost hear from). Granted these women are almost being prepared (they think) for death but yet they almost don't have a concept of what that means. They are lost in their repetition and yet they don't quite remember in fact what was beyond. We see blasts of light and what might be considered aspects of war but this might be an illusion to keep these three ladies from going beyond the confines of their palace (or prison).

Memory plays a big part here since each of them has certain instincts, whether it be forgetfulness, rage, love, innocence...different situations conjure different feelings in them. The film itself, for the most part, is silent in terms of dialogue which gives it more of a ghostly feeling but what writer/directors Helena Ganjalyan (who also plays the central girl) and Bartosz Szpak seem to want to do is a create a sense of longing where there is a balance between control and freedom of movement (or choice). If people are cared for, the question they pose is "why would they need anything else?" The answer comes in adding other variables into the equation to upset the status quo. When this comes to bear, the perspective and perception of the characters starts to shift because what they once believed might not be all together true. "Glorious Summer" is an interesting discussion on choice versus safety wrapped in a beauty and serene wrapper that begs the question: "What If?" B

By Tim Wassberg