My First Summer 2020 Movie Review

『A First Love That Shines Like Sunlight — The Power of Connection in Silence』

🎥 Film Overview

🎬 Title: My First Summer (2020)
🌍 Country: 🇦🇺 Australia
🎞️ Genre: Coming-of-age / Romance / Drama
🗓️ Production: Katie Found Productions, 2020, Feature Film
📢 Director: Katie Found
🖋️ Screenplay: Katie Found

👩‍💼 Cast: Markella Kavenagh – Claudia
Maiah Stewardson – Grace

🧩 Deep Story Exploration (Spoilers)

🌿 The Meeting of Two Worlds — Isolation and the Outside

The film begins in stark contrast between two girls and their isolated circumstances.

• Claudia’s world – a fairytale-like confinement: Sixteen-year-old Claudia has been raised in isolation by her novelist mother, who believed she was protecting her from the evils of the world. After her mother’s death (by suicide in a reservoir), Claudia is left alone, innocent and unaware of how the world works. Her secluded home becomes a dual symbol — of childlike purity and the imprisonment born from her mother’s mental illness.

• Grace’s intrusion – the colorful savior: While escaping from local police, Grace accidentally discovers Claudia. With her vivid clothing and fearless attitude, Grace injects color and vitality into Claudia’s muted existence. She becomes both a charming stranger and a savior figure, introducing Claudia to the sweet joys of the world — marshmallows, strawberry milk, and the thrill of simple pleasures.

• The girls’ secret oasis: Together, they transform Claudia’s house and the nearby woods into their own secret paradise. During this brief summer, they build a world free from adult interference and societal rules, creating a connection that evolves rapidly from friendship into a pure and powerful first love.

🍓 Trauma, Innocence, and the Inevitable Invasion of Reality

Beneath its tender romance, the film layers deeper and darker emotional themes.

• The relationship as healing from trauma: Claudia’s existence is shaped by her mother’s suicidal intent and distorted parenting. Grace, though more worldly, is also a wounded soul escaping an unhappy home. Their bond becomes an instinctive act of mutual healing, born from a subconscious understanding of each other’s pain.

• The naturalization of queer identity: One of the film’s greatest strengths lies in the fact that it does not frame queerness as a “coming-out” story. The girls have no exposure to or concern for social norms; their love unfolds in its most natural, instinctive form. Rather than focusing on “discovering a queer identity,” the film emphasizes discovering love as a human experience.

• The shattered illusion of summer: No matter how idyllic their world seems, reality — in the form of police, social services, and the shadow of Claudia’s mother’s death — inevitably intrudes. When the authorities intervene and Claudia once again contemplates a desperate act, the fairytale collapses. It’s a heartbreakingly poignant reminder of how fragile beauty and innocence can be.

🌾 Harmony Between Color and Emotion

Director Katie Found uses visual contrast and color to mirror emotional depth.

• Dreamlike, luminous palette: The film’s high-saturation visuals — strawberry milk, marshmallows, Grace’s pink tutu — vividly express the girls’ youth, joy, and the sweetness of their bond. The warm, glowing Australian summer light creates a magical illusion of timeless love.

• Subtle tension and unease: Within its short 80-minute runtime, the film moves quickly through Claudia’s emotional awakening. This fast pace and isolated setting maintain an underlying tension — a reminder that their love exists only on borrowed time.

• Delicate performances: Markella Kavenagh (Claudia) and Maiah Stewardson (Grace) deliver emotionally authentic performances. Claudia’s innocence and awkward curiosity blend beautifully with Grace’s bold yet fragile energy, creating a chemistry that feels both raw and genuine.

🌟 A Cruel Fairytale Bathed in the Light of Healing

My First Summer intertwines the thrill of first love with the depths of trauma, forming a rare and emotionally rich coming-of-age tale. It poetically shows that love can be an instinct for survival and a force for healing. Despite its ambiguous ending, the film leaves audiences with a resonant message about the power of connection and hope in the face of pain.

🎯 Personal Rating

💕 Love Scene Intensity: ♥♥
⭐ Rating: ★★★★★