Gaspar Noé ‘Saint Laurent Video Summer of ‘21 Hits Different

Gaspar Noé is not a filmmaker I am all over. But his legions of fans will be champing at the bit about his new short film Saint Laurent. Noé has a reputation though and he always hits the headlines wherever he goes and with whatever he makes. His most recent film Lux Æterna premiered at Cannes in 2019 and marked a collaboration with fashion house Saint Laurent. According to the press, paramedics were on hand in anticipation of sickness and fainting during the screening. Does any of that type of behavior exist, or is it clickbait at best?

Watch the Short Film From Gaspar Noé, Saint Laurent – Summer of ‘21

I watched the 7-minute short film and didn’t think much of it. The Hollywood Reporter called it ‘slightly spooky’ but I disagree. Unless you count the opening 20 or so seconds proportionately doesn’t label the whole film as spooky. Summer of ‘21 opens strong with a beautiful brunette screaming and running through a darkened forest. Dance music plays in the seated background throughout.

The song is a Sebastian remix of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.” The music and lyrics are by Summer with Pete Bellotte and Giorgio Moroder. Then the woman runs inside a large majestic estate, safe. From there, models are seated throughout a large and indulgent foyer. The short film’s lead Charlotte Rampling is shown sitting at a dressing table staring into a mirror.

The whole performance is drenched in red light and the screen splits in two. The women are shown getting up in a dizzying relay of exits. I waited on the finale thinking there would be some grand climax, but alas the short film is supposed to be more of a showcase of producer Anthony Vaccarello’s collection.

Production and Starring

Overall, people can get excited about this I guess, but for Mother of Movies, it was more akin to watching a really cool commercial. Or is that the point?

• Starring models: Stefania Cristian, Anok Yai, Grace Hartzel, Antonia Przedpelski, Miriam Sanchez, Aylah Mae Peterson, Clara Deshayes, Kim Schell, Mica Arganaraz, Sora Choi, and Assa Baradji.
• Also starring Charlotte Rampling.
• Produced by Anthony Vaccarello (from Saint Laurent fashion house.)

And written and directed by Gaspar Noé.