The Pula Arena was packed for the surprising and delightful Summer Teeth (Šalša), an absurdist comedy blending humor, magical realism, and an unexpected zombie twist, by Dražen Žarković.
It was surprising to see the Pula Arena packed on the penultimate night of the 71st Pula Film Festival. Mainly so because the night before the Roman amphitheatre was half empty and also because I had low expectations of Summer Teeth (Šalša, 2024) after reading the programme synopsis. I was intrigued at why and how all these people knew that tonight’s premiere was the place to be and if the film would justify its appeal.
Summer Teeth begins almost half a century ago in Yugoslavia. Two young scientists on a remote island that are working on a project of the utmost importance to president Tito himself. They are trying to isolate a nationalist gene – a joke that lands well with the audience as nationalism was criminalised in Yugoslavia in order to avoid hostilities among its constituent nations would eventually lead to the breakup of the country.
Cut to present day where Vatroslav (Momčilo Otašević) is hitting a rough patch. He’s about to get evicted and loses his job on top of it. Luckily, his friend arranges for him a place on a tomato picking farm with his grandmother where he can work for the summer.
Arriving to the aforementioned remote island, Vatroslav encounters countless quirky characters. They are well known cliches such as lazy and dense policemen, ne’er-do-well local hooligans, loud and exaggerated Serbs, wise yet nutty homeless and joint-worshipping beach bar owners to name a few. Although paper thin in characterisation, the audience eats it all up and rewards with spontaneous laughter. And I have to admit, it is easy to laugh along. Perhaps the fossilised jokes are so long-lasting because they always work. And it feels good not to have to think too hard while watching a lighthearted comedy.
But there’s more to Summer Teeth than meets the eye. Although the look and story of the film is light and humorous, the soundtrack disturbs the comedic setup with a Carpenterlike tuba background. Once the grandmother reveals how her late husband’s rakija helps the tomatoes grow it is apparent we are in the realm of magical realism.
I should have been less surprised that some islanders become zombies as a result of eating grandma’s fruitful tomatoes. It was refreshing and surprising and although the crew relied too much on very familiar tropes in depicting them. You’ll be reminded of Train to Busan and the zombies look slightly ridiculous and only slightly scary in the strong Adriatic sun. It is appropriate for an absurdist comedy that Summer Teeth is.
Perhaps there is a deeper point to be extrapolated from the fact that the tomatoes make zombies out of hardened nationalists and narrow-minded individuals, while liberals remain uninfected, but it is a side point at best. As I look through the notes I have several negative thing to say about the film, but upon memory it’s one of the breeziest I’ve seen at the Pula Film Festival. Call me a zombie, but I like it!
Our writer Ramona Boban-Vlahović is on the ground at the 71st Pula Film Festival in Croatia, taking place on 11-18 July 2024.
