THE SUMMER BOOK Trailer: Glenn Close Stars in Charlie McDowell’s Scandinavian-Set Drama

Having resided in Scandinavia for the past few years, director Charlie McDowell (The One I Love) has adapted one of the region’s most beloved literary works. The Summer Book, based on the 1972 novel by Tove Jansson, stars Glenn Close as an elderly woman living on a tiny Finnish island who spends one unforgettable summer with her 9-year-old granddaughter (newcomer Emily Matthews) and her father (Anders Danielsen Lie, The Worst Person in the World), who are both grieving a heavy loss. Robert Jones penned the screenplay while cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen (Another Round) shot the film in 16mm. After premiering at various fall festivals last year, Music Box Films, partnering with Kanopy, will release it stateside in select theaters on September 19.

As the official synopsis reads:

Nine-year-old Sophia (Emily Matthews) spends the summers at her family’s seasonal home on a tranquil isle in the Gulf of Finland, but this will be the first summer without her mother. Her father (Anders Danielsen Lie) remains numbed by grief, while her grandmother (Glenn Close) guides her on a giddy, winding path towards young adulthood. With a sense of infinite possibility and a tender regard for the wonders of the natural world, Sophia and her grandmother explore the terrain, celebrate midsommar, and test the limits of faith in the face of life’s many storms. Adapted from Tove Jansson’s beloved novel, The Summer Book is a delicate account of growing up and growing old, beautifully filmed on 16mm in majestic natural light.

Watch the official trailer below.

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