While the physical contrasts between Ms. de France and Ms. Higelin are striking, the differences of temperament and background that separate their characters rarely feel simplified.
The moderate highs and lows of Delphine and Carole's may not go down as a classic love story. But the sincerity of its actresses (including Noémie Lvovsky as Delphine's quietly observant, unyielding mother) keeps you fully invested in their journey.
What makes Summertime really refreshing is that it doesn't treat its central romance as anything but wholly normal, despite the attitude of other characters, or indeed, the tenor of the time in which it is set.
Summertime is a gorgeously shot film by the French director Catherine Corsini that swoons over a lesbian love affair between Cécile de France and Izia Higelin.
Artfully calculated and authentically felt, the unexpectedly effective "Summertime" combines the conventional structure of classic movie romance with a sensual same-sex frankness that couldn't be more up-to-date.
La Belle Saison is far from groundbreaking, but perhaps that's where its newness lies: in simply bringing queer women's concerns into mainstream arthouse filmmaking.
