You are here:

Between Summers

Name: Between Summers
Director: Kristian Petri, Stig Björkman
Released: 1995
Duration: 112 min

Representation Score

1.7/10

Minimal

1995

Director

Kristian Petri, Stig Björkman

Runtime

112 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Between Summers is a psychological study of grief that prioritizes the deconstruction of the nuclear family over diverse representation. It moves away from sentimentalized domesticity to explore the disintegration of a marriage following a tragedy. While the film succeeds in challenging the idea of the stable, competent husband, it remains a localized Scandinavian drama. The narrative lacks demographic breadth and focuses on the emotional collapse of a homogeneous unit. Ultimately, the film functions as a realistic portrayal of human dysfunction rather than a vehicle for diverse social perspectives.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Between Summers have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses solely on a heterosexual couple and does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities.

How does Between Summers portray gender?

Fair

Torun plays a significant role in driving the story through her emotional volatility and redirection of blame. The film avoids traditional gender clichés by centering on the husband's struggle with grief.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Between Summers?

Minimal

The narrative appears to be a localized, homogeneous Scandinavian drama. There is no indication of a multi-ethnic cast or diverse racial identities.

How does Between Summers represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film challenges the sanctity of the Western domestic institution by portraying the family as a source of conflict. It prioritizes psychological realism over traditional values.

Does Between Summers include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no evidence regarding the representation of physical, neurodivergent, or sensory disabilities within the film.

Present on Screen

Subverts traditional gender roles by showing the husband's inability to manage grief and domestic stability.
Challenges the sanctity of the traditional Western family unit through a realistic, non-sentimentalized lens.
Provides a complex, subjective exploration of grief rather than relying on moralistic or restorative narrative arcs.

Limited or Absent

Lacks demographic breadth, offering no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender characters.
The cast and setting appear homogeneous, providing minimal racial or ethnic diversity.
There is no visible representation of physical, neurodivergent, or sensory disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Torun and Mikael have been married for a few years. When vacationing on the Danish coast, their young son Melker accidentally drowns. Torun initially blames her sister, who was supposed to supervise her children. Later she turns her anger and grief against her husband. Since none of them know what to do with their feelings, they start to drift apart.

How are these scores produced? →