Oh, to be young and in love. In the Dutch lesbian coming-of-age drama “Summer,” two teenage girls fall for each other and experience all the joys of first love — but also the challenges of how that love makes them stand out in a small town.
Judging from the web series “47 Secrets to A Younger You” and “The Benefits of Gusbandry,” love doesn’t get easier with age. Old love is challenged by routine and lack of time due to children and work. New love simply doesn’t come by as often past 40, and as the documentary “Pushing Motherhood” shows, neither do children.
VOD
Summer — Directed by Colette Bothof
In Colette Bothof’s coming-of-age drama “Summer,” 16-year-old Anne feels like she doesn’t belong in the Dutch small town she lives in. Then she meets a girl in town, Lena, who awakens her in many ways. But can the two girls stand their ground and dare to be different in their closed-off (and closed-minded) community?
See for yourself, when the film is released on WolfeOnDemand on October 6.
Pushing Motherhood (Documentary) — Directed by Sybil Azur and Linda Cevallos-French
The number of first-time mothers over 35 have increased eightfold since 1970, according to statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics in Sybil Azur and Linda Cevallos-French’s documentary on pursuing motherhood later in life. “Can’t put it off forever, you know. Tick-tock, tick-tock,” as Bridget Jones’ smug married friends would say. But why do so many women postpone children until their 30s or 40s? Women’s liberation gave women the possibility to pursue education and careers and the option to plan pregnancies. But what if our bodies just aren’t geared to wait for “the perfect time”? The filmmakers, aged 38 and 45, track their own attempts at reproduction in addition to interviewing other women and experts about the varied experiences of — and the technological options available to — women today.
The documentary is available on Vimeo.
Web Series
47 Secrets to A Younger You — Created by Laura Frenzer and Rohana Kenin
In the comedic web series “47 Secrets to A Younger You,” Laura Frenzer and Rohana Kenin star as two 40-something friends balancing work, motherhood, relationships and self-actualization. Julie wakes up with a startle every night and turns on her laptop, which she only takes her eyes off when she’s out with the girls discussing whether the concepts of MILFs and cougars are sexist. Karma, a divorcée, recites mantras while doing the dishes to the noise of her screaming kids. In the funniest scene so far, she goes on a Tinder date, where the “published writer” turns out to be the author of a tree-hugging manifesto. It is indeed a jungle out there.
The first two episodes are available.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QedYJiahUAQ
The Benefits of Gusbandry — Created by Alicia J. Rose
In “The Benefits of Gusbandry,” Jackie (Brooke Totman) can’t catch a break, romance-wise, either. At a humiliating 40th birthday party, Jackie meets a handsome stranger, River (Kurt Conroyd), and they click immediately. While he turns out to be gay, their relationship evolves into a platonic love that might be even more rewarding. “Ever since my first bout of high-school heartbreak, I have had Gusbands — a sweet gay man (or boy) to let me cry on his shoulder, wreak havoc, take vacations and champagne brunch with. There is something magical about the relationship between a woman and a gay man, that any woman with an LTG (long-term Gusband) will tell you is ESSENTIAL to her life and general happiness,” writes creator Alicia J. Rose on the series’ website.
The pilot is available now, and we can’t wait to explore Jackie and River’s relationship in the next episodes.
