October 22: Aftersun

This week’s film is Aftersun, directed by Charlotte Wells.

Twenty years after their last holiday at a fading vacation resort, Sophie reflects on the rare time spent with her loving and idealistic father Calum. At 11-years-old, as the world of adolescence creeps into Sophie's view, Calum struggles under the weight of life outside of fatherhood. Sophie's recollections become a powerful and heartrending portrait of their relationship, as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn't.

Aftersun is the feature length debut of New York-based Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells. Her innovative use of mini DV footage throughout evolves the story set in the 90’s, hinting at something darker taking over Calum’s life.

Wells was partly inspired by her own childhood in writing the film– her father’s death while she was a teenager inspired her 2015 short film, Tuesday. Seven years later, she wanted to re-explore this father-child relationship, but touch on a different period in their lives.

“It’s not autobiographical, per se, but I think of it as being emotionally autobiographical. And, over the course of writing, I got more and more of myself into both characters”, she said.

At the 95th Academy Awards, Paul Mescal, who plays Calum, was nominated for Best Actor. Aftersun was named one of the best films of the year by the National Board of Review, and the #1 of 2022 by the British Film Institute. It also won Outstanding Debut by a British Director at the BAFTAs, and received universal critical acclaim.

Don’t miss Aftersun when it screens at the Gala for all IFS members this Sunday, 22 October at 7pm. See you there!