In A24’s Aftersun, Director Charlotte Wells Shows Us That The Journey For Closure Is Equal Parts Painful And Necessary

All throughout the vacation, Calum puts on a brave face for Sophie. When she isn’t around, though, he appears to crumble. When she finds herself hanging out with a group of older kids at the resort, he goes to the beach and walks straight into the ocean.

Water, in particular, is a frequent omen throughout the film. Although the two are vacationing on the beaches of Istanbul, he seems wary of diving into it around Sophie. It’s like he is afraid of allowing himself to do something that will scare her away at a time that’s supposed to be joyous and memorable.

That’s because, in a way, he is. While the audience isn’t clued into what exactly was wrong with Calum, there are signs that the promises he gives to Sophie throughout the trip aren’t panning out as he claims. When we flash forward and see him sobbing alone in his room, that’s when the audience is told that this story is not going to be a happy one.

While it isn’t happy, it certainly is cathartic, at least for Sophie. By viewing these tapes, she pieces together the true intent of the vacation; Calum wanted to ensure she remembered him from this trip, not his eventual death.