Un jour d'été (2006) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Franck Guérin

Writers:

Agnès Feuvre (writer)
Franck Guérin (scenario)

Release Date:

13 April 2007 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The sudden death of a teenager during a soccer match puts a small community completely off-balance.

Plot Keywords:

Coach | Nudity | Auto Repair | Soccer Match | Shower

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Baptiste Bertin	...	Sébastien
Catherine Mouchet	...	La mère de Mickaël
Jean-François Stévenin	...	Maurice
Théo Frilet	...	Mickaël
Elise Caron	...	Louise
Philippe Fretun	...	Le père de Sébastien
Yann Peira	...	L'enquêteur
Thierry Godard	...	L'entraineur
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bernard Blancan	...	L'adjoint au maire
Colette Bonnet
Léa Didier	...	Manuella
Andréa Fontana
Romain Galibert
Alexandra Goujon
Jean-Claude Guérin
Ann'Lise Haubert	...	La vendeuse Tabac-Presse (as Anne-Lise Haubert)
Brice Hillairet	...	Francis
Denis Jacquey
Jacques Lafoly
Anne Lopez	...	Noémie
Aly Magdy Maghrabi
Murielle Paradon	...	Voix journal télévisé
Claire Parpaillon
Julien Pourel
Xavier Robin

Also Known As:

A Summer Day (International: English title)
One Day in Summer (UK) (DVD title)

Runtime:

Netherlands:91 min (original version) | France:95 min (original version)

Country:

France

Language:

French | French

Color:

Color | Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Company:

Cosip

A tender portrait of love and loss

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

As Un jour d'ete came to an end the person behind me turned to his companion and said: "Why on earth would they show this film at a gay film festival?" There may be some truth in that question, but although the "gay" nature of the film may be debatable, the quality of the script and the performances mean that this is a film that shouldn't be pigeon-holed but deserves as wide an audience as possible.

The premise is simple: the accidental death of a popular member of the local football team throws a small community into turmoil. The boy's mother, who has already lost a husband, must now come to terms with her grief. The town's mayor must face the fact of his office's possible culpability. And, most touching of all, the dead boy's friend must face the future.

This is a film about loss - and at times is painful to watch. It is always wonderfully acted - not least by the incandescentally beautiful Baptiste Bertin as Sebastien - and filmed, although the limitations of a tight budget are sometimes apparent.

The "gay" angle is subtly understated. A homoerotic sensibility is in evidence in the way that the (often shirtless) Sebastien is filmed, and in the complicated relationship he has with the mayor's handsome son Francis (Brice Hillairet). Is Sebastien gay? Bisexual? Ultimately I don't think it's important. His loneliness is palpable, and he has trouble reaching out to others and sharing what is in his heart. I think many gay men - young or not - can relate to that.