Summer Survivors

Really well performed and directed film. After having seen a couple of underwhelming movies at TIFF that were well attended based on hype but not necessarily substance, this little known film should be celebrated and discussed with the best of the year. Don't be fooled by the somewhat generic title, Summer Survivors is a quiet, meditative film about mental health stigmas/labels, and realizing the beauty in the little moments that surround us, even if the characters themselves might not see them. Billed as a movie about mental health, it's a road movie that doesn't force things, and is subtly well acted throughout. Everyone has their own ideas and experiences about what it means to deal with mental health. This movie is just one very real example of how these issues are not defined by singular moments, but must take into consideration the universal in-betweens of everyday highs and lows.