CAMP

After watching Avalon Fast's Camp I realized how long it's been since a film so instantly got me on its wavelength, lured me into its world, quieted my mind, and took my on its journey. I had no idea where this movie's narrative was going, but I effortlessly surrendered to it no matter where it ended up. Zola Grimmer stars as Emily, a troubled youth who is sent to a summer camp to be a counselor for mildly trouble kids. There, she discovers a sisterhood of sexy, druggie, witchy spiritual compatriots who educate her in the ways of this camp they've all found themselves working. The cast of terrific young actresses make each character distinctive. The cinematography by Eily Sprungman is hypnotic and dreamy. I knew nothing of Fast's prior work when I saw this in the middle of the day at a film festival. The actress know for the Castration Movie Anthology and this year's The Serpent's Skin made her directorial debut with Honeycomb in 2022. I have no idea if those other films have the same ethereal qualities as this movie, but I will for sure by finding out.