Sunburn

A hang-out movie set in St. James Town, a high-rise community in Toronto, Sunburn follows a group of young people trying to stay cool during the summer’s hottest day. The temperature triggers a power outage, which sends them out of their buildings and into the street. On sidewalks, on rooftops, in parks, and beyond, three pairs of kids chat about crushes or play games, each on their own adventure until their paths ultimately intersect. Despite the shadows from the apartment buildings, and the pockets of greenery, you can feel the heat radiating from the screen — it’s sweaty, vibrant, and saturated with colour. 

Sunburn is a loose, funny, coming-of-age film that shares the same spirit of Dazed and Confused, if it were set in present-day downtown Toronto, with a cast made up of Filipino, Jamaican, Guyanese, and Black actors. Standouts are Joshua Obra and Dashawn Blackwood, who play Shay and Vince, respectively, the friends who tease each other ruthlessly, like only real friends can. 

Throughout the hazy day, connections are made between the pairs, lessons are passed along on everything from the small things, like whistling, to the big ones, like falling in love. The film is directed and written by Serville Poblete, a local talent to watch, whose In the Morning Sun recently won the SXSW Documentary Short Award.

KELLY BOUTSALIS

TIFF Next Wave: Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of young voices in today’s fast-moving world. This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers by the TIFF Next Wave Committee.

Content advisory: coarse language, mature themes