Notes on a Summer

Marta swaps Madrid for the Atlantic coast of her upbringing, and leaves all the everyday necessities and routines for a few weeks of undemanding time at home. Spending time with family and friends and a hot affair with an ex may for a while replace essay writing, a job as a swimming coach and a boyfriend. "Problems don't exist in August," she decides. The film's language is liberating in its selection of information. Marta reacts to text messages that we can't see. Pablo is out of the picture when we first meet him. In one scene we are underwater, and in another outside the car where the dialogue is being delivered. We don't hear everything, we don't see everything, but follow the plot mostly through Katia Borlado's emotional expressions. It's romantic, naked, confused, and summery.