Over the course of a hot Los Angeles summer day, the lives of 25 young Angelinos intersect. A skating guitarist, a tagger, two wannabe rappers, an exasperated fast-food worker, a limo driver, someone who just wants to find a place that still serves good cheeseburgers — they all weave in and out of each other’s stories. Through poetry, they express life, love, heartache, family, home, fear.
Inspired by a spoken-word showcase featuring 25 diverse high school performers, Carlos López Estrada (BLINDSPOTTING) proposed a collaboration to develop the performers’ work into a loose, interconnected narrative, allowing the non-actors to express themselves and their relationship to the city.
With its SLACKER-inspired structure, fanciful form, and exuberant magical realism, SUMMERTIME is a free-verse poem — of, by and for the kids. By the time the young poets wind up together in a tricked-out mega-limo overlooking L.A., we believe in what their crazy, creative togetherness represents: hope. As the limo driver says, “Y’all got a pocket full of dreams, so don’t let me down.”
“López Estrada and company not only subvert lazy assumptions about their misunderstood metropolis and who lives and thrives there, but they also shift the focus to the unheard and unseen for a wonderful reinvention. You'll never see L.A. the same again.” —Carlos Aguilar, The Wrap “The most unique aspect of this is that the ownership of this film is shared, with little pieces of each writer infused into the story…. It’s insightful, unique, and won’t be easy to forget.” —Adriana Gomez-Weston, The Cinema Soloist “A celebration of Los Angeles and that lifestyle and attitude which is specific to Los Angeles. They avoid the clichés...celebrat[ing] the diversity of life and experiences one expects by living here...SUMMERTIME is an art piece that deserves our attention.” —Alan Ng, Film Threat “If BLINDSPOTTING was Carlos López Estrada's ode to Oakland, then this inspirational spoken-word ensemble project is his hallelujah to L.A….. Might be the most inspirational movie to hit the indie circuit this year.” —Peter Debruge, Variety “An absorbing spoken-word sonnet...a deeply touching tapestry that celebrates the diversity and cultural richness of LA, while at the same time exploring the hopes and fears of a generation heading into an uncertain adulthood.” —Tim Grierson, Screendaily “Once the intoxicating performances and melodic delivery take hold, it never lets go…. SUMMERTIME is one big showcase of art, dreams and self-worth, and the value and importance of celebrating that with others.” —Perri Nemiroff, Collider
