The Island

It is the last evening of summer, and a group of friends decides to continue the night on the "island," a large rock located on the beach. Rosa is moving to Canada the next morning to study dance in Montreal, and the sense of departure hangs in the air. Alongside the evening spent on the beach, there are meta-level scenes showing the young people rehearsing the scenes in a dance studio. Directed by Damien Manivel, a former dancer himself, the camera cuts from place to place mid-scene as if it were dancing too, with movement continuing smoothly despite the change in environment.

The air sometimes smells of sweat, sometimes of the sea and damp sand. The beach gradually darkens and lightens, with the friends' shouts and celebrations heard in the background while Rosa and her brother Youn smoke cigarettes. In this genre-blending film, life is condensed and youth feels overwhelming.

Nelia Naumanen