Absence may lead to avoidance; and in An Autumn Without Berlin, now showing as part of the 2016 Spanish Film Festival, June returns after a long absence, to her home town, Madrid, wishing to renew her former relationships with her ex-boyfriend, Diego, and her family. First call on a windy autumn night is to Diego's address. He avoids June, simply by refusing to talk to her, when she speaks into the intercom. From there, she walks to the family home. Her brother warns her that her father will not be happy to see her - an understatement - as her father's avoidance of her presence is colder than the autumn winds.
The rest of the story narrates the painful and emotional attempts by June, to repair the relationships with Diego and her father. Her trials are relieved a little, by the resumption of a wonderful friendship with her best friend, who is pregnant. She also forms a fresh, loving relationship with a male child, who she tutors in French.
The essence of love can only be found in the purity of the present - suspension of time - child-like transcendence - where there is no memory of the past and no vision of the future - innocence - free from hurt and injury - free from wrong, sin or guilt. June's simple, innocent and loving relationship with the little boy is a contrast, too evident to miss, with her adult corrupted relationships.
The search for this essence is strained through a mesh of subtle, non-sentimental dialogue, and hesitant body language, in the confinement of Diego's dark, box-like apartment, as June tries to erase his pain of past rejection, and at the same time avoid her own rejection.
Irene Escolar plays the dominant role of June. She is totally convincing and her character is refreshingly free of sentimentality and pretension. The character of Diego is somewhat wooden, but given he is agoraphobic, one should not be surprised by this.
My only complaint is the title which (without me revealing why) betrays the ending.
An Autumn Without Berlin - 2016 Spanish Film Festival
