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The End of Summer

Name: The End of Summer
Director: Michel Brault
Released: 1964
Duration: 27 min

Representation Score

5.6/10

Fair

1964

Director

Michel Brault

Runtime

27 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Michel Brault’s documentary utilizes a direct cinema approach to capture the raw, unmediated experiences of teenagers. By employing an improvisational framework, the film grants its subjects a level of control and authenticity rarely seen in 1964. The work succeeds in elevating a female adolescent's internal monologue and philosophical curiosity. This shift from decorative to intellectual roles provides a nuanced look at youth during the mid-century period. However, the film remains limited by the demographic homogeneity of its historical and geographical setting. While it challenges religious and social norms, it lacks explicit representation of diverse racial or queer identities.

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Category Breakdown

Does The End of Summer have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film explores themes of love through improvisational teenage dialogue. While no explicit queer identities are mentioned, the improvisational style allows for a fluidity of identity that avoids rigid assumptions about sexuality.

How does The End of Summer portray gender?

Good

The narrative centers on the perspective of a 16-year-old girl. This positioning grants her a significant role in driving the story, disrupting traditional cinematic hierarchies that often relegate young women to passive roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The End of Summer?

Fair

Set in the Laurentians in 1964, the film likely reflects the demographic homogeneity of Quebec at the time. It prioritizes the lived reality of its specific subjects over blending different racial backgrounds.

How does The End of Summer represent religion and culture?

Good

The film engages with secular inquiry through discussions on God and death. By allowing unscripted thoughts, it deconstructs traditional religious dogma and mid-century social authority.

Does The End of Summer include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no documented evidence regarding the portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the film.

Present on Screen

Prioritizes the intellectual subjectivity of the female protagonist.
Uses improvisation to allow subjects to challenge traditional social and religious norms.
Captures authentic, unmediated human experiences through a direct cinema style.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit representation of non-straight or queer identities.
Reflects the demographic homogeneity of 1964 Quebec, limiting racial diversity.
Provides no documented evidence of disability representation.

Official Synopsis

A 16 year old girl recalls the last moments of her summer vacation, spent with friends in the Laurentians north of Montreal. She reminisces about their talks on life, death, love, and God. Shot in direct cinema style, working from a script that left room for the teenagers to improvise and express their own thoughts, the film sought to capture the immediacy of the youths presence their bodies, their language, their environment.

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