The Edinburgh International Film Festival 2022 kicked off with ‘Aftersun’ directed by Scottish filmmaker, Charlotte Wells. Aftersun depicts a father/daughter relationship that shows moments of affection and love amongst the slightly fraught relationship. Wells beautifully captures the quiet moments of unspoken love between the father and daughter whilst reflecting on the less idealistic moments of the relationship. Paul Mescal portrays the young father (Calum) of Sophie (Frankie Corio) as they enjoy an all-inclusive holiday amidst flashforwards of Sophie’s future. The audience sees a mostly happy and close relationship between the father and child. Their father/daughter dynamic is almost friendly at times, as if Sophie does not see herself as a child and prefers her father’s company. At one point Sophie cringes at the prospect of ‘introducing herself’ to the other children at the hotel because they’re “like kids”, connoting the close relationship between the father and daughter. The closeness of the pair seems to fade as we see Calum’s suggested past/future that causes a strain between the two. This reflection on Sophie’s childhood exemplifies both the good and bad memories of her father. Despite their conflict, the paternal love is shown beautifully on screen.
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