Summertime in the South
There is something especially magical about the beginning of summer. For many southerners this time immediately conjures the sounds of cicadas and tree frogs; the stains of mud and red clay; the humid heat of riversides, creeks, and small beach towns; and the cool relief of corner store popsicles, chlorinated public pools, and indoor skating rinks, ice rinks, and movie theaters. The nostalgia we feel for these moments, and the memories they leave with us, run deep.
As schools let out, our usual routines are stripped away, and suddenly, everything is new and brimming with possibility. Sometimes we feel lost, but excited to explore, and sometimes we feel bored, but the boredom drives us to be braver and bolder than before. We try new things, make new friends, find unlikely mentors, fall in and out of love, and push our bodies to carry us into new versions of ourselves. We sweat, run, bike, skate, swim, and laugh until our entire bodies ache. We feel free, briefly, and in this space we are able to appreciate and investigate things we usually take for granted: small town community centers, our neighborhoods and backyards, and even our own identities–the beginning of summer allows us to pause and ask, “Who am I? Who could I be?”
This month, we would like to highlight films which convey this precise summer nostalgia. We hope they give you a moment of relief from the sun to reflect on fond memories and daydream about all the possibilities this summer may have in store.
- Zoe Roberts
Programming Coordinator
Each of these films were official Carrboro Film Fest selections in previous years. We invite you to revisit or discover them now.
All Skate Everybody Skate | Official Selection Carrboro Film Fest 2017
Watch Film: https://vimeo.com/319928395
Directed by Nicole Triche | Runtime: 19:13
Near the southern tip of Topsail Island, NC you'll find a typical small town post office. But, if you climb the stairs to the second floor, you'll find a roller skating rink that is over 50 years old. Behind the counter of both the post office and the rink you'll find Miss Doris. "All Skate, Everybody Skate" is a portrait of a woman in her late seventies who has known hard times and met them with head-on with grit and an extraordinary work ethic that has kept her climbing that wooden staircase each evening to rent and repair skates, spin vintage 45s, and weave smoothly in-between the tourists in her white skates with the red wheels.
Birds | Official Selection Carrboro Film Fest 2022
Watch Film: https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2022/07/15/birds-katherine-propper -
Directed by Katherine Propper | Runtime: 13:52
It’s Summertime in Austin, Texas. A bunch of teenagers spend their days hanging out, finding ways to keep busy while school is out. Between conversations, confessions and little adventures, every single one of these moments will help to build the adults that they’ll become. In Birds, writer/director Katherine Propper captures the mundanity of the Summer break with a disarming authenticity and sensibility, paradoxically refreshing us while immersing us into the Texas heat.
Drought | Official Selection Carrboro Film Fest 2021
Watch Film: https://letterboxd.com/film/drought-2021 (available to rent or buy on most VOD sites)
Directed by Hannah Black and Megan Petersen | Runtime: 84 minutes
It’s 1993 and North Carolina is experiencing a historic drought. Autistic teen Carl, fascinated by weather, predicts that a storm will soon hit nearby. His sister Sam crafts a plan to help him chase the storm, stealing their mother’s ice-cream truck to embark on a road trip about family, forgiveness, and following your dreams.