Known to any Finnish person, but also far beyond: Tove Jansson, author and creator of the iconic Moomin children’s books. What remains less known is her adult literature, classics such as “The Summer Book“. Charlie McDowell, American director and writer known for psychological thrillers and sci-fi dramas such as “The One I Love and The Discovery“, first stumbled across Jansson’s “The Summer Book“ in his twenties. Her poetic precision when writing about loneliness, nature, and transience never really left him, which is why he decided to direct the film adaptation of the classic in 2023.

Known as the author’s most personal work, McDowell managed to translate those sentiments into a slow, touching movie centering on nature, silence, and emotional perception.

The story includes three main characters: the grandmother, beautifully portrayed by multiple Oscar nominee Glenn Close; her grandchild Sophia, with Emily Matthews making her screen debut; and her father, played by Anders Danielsen Lie. The entire cast includes only seven people in total, creating an intimate portrait that leaves plenty of room to display and understand their personal relationships.

After a dramatic loss, the three seek peace and quiet on a dreamy island amidst the Finnish archipelago. Surrounded by nothing but nature, each of them is on a personal journey, portraying different chapters of life: nine-year-old Sophia is just growing into herself, curiously asking questions about life, death, and the world around her with childlike ease.

She is heavily contrasted by her grandmother, who is fast nearing the end of her life, resting mostly in acceptance and an unshakeable calmness.

In between is the father, who, stuck in his grief, isolates himself through work. He seems unable to break out of his tunnel vision.

Things change as a storm arises. The audience finally witnesses a confrontation between the characters, leading to emotional approximation and deepening their bonds.

The island starts to feel like a character itself due to the long close-up shots, reminding viewers of what being human means at its core. The accompanying film music is by the Finnish vocal trio The Harmony Sisters, who rose to prominence in the 1930s and perfectly underline the timeless feel of this movie.

For anyone with a TikTok attention span, this might be a challenging watch, but once you give in to the quiet intensity of the film, it will soon have you wondering about life, its ever-lurking end, and all the beauty in between.

“The Summer Book“ (English spoken, German subtitles) will screen in German cinemas from 25 June 2026.