THE STORY – In 2001, Franny, a 16-year-old exchange student from Germany, arrives in the sleepy desert town of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Far from home, Franny struggles through awkward school days, stifling heat, and restless nights until she meets Elliott, a boy whose quiet sadness mirrors her own. As America reels from 9/11, something resonates within Franny and an unexpected tenderness begins to bloom.
THE CAST – Naomi Cosma, David Flores, Rebecca Schulz & Bianca Dumais
THE TEAM – Katharina Rivilis (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 125 Minutes
Premiering in the Un Certain Regard section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, “I’ll Be Gone In June” is an engaging low-budget indie drama that marks the debut feature from German writer-director Katharina Rivilis. Beautifully shot and featuring a stunning lead performance from newcomer Naomi Cosma, it’s a remarkable piece of work that simultaneously blends nostalgia with a strong contemporary pertinence. What initially presents itself as a gentle coming-of-age story eventually reveals itself to be far more emotionally and politically layered, capturing the uncertainty of adolescence against the backdrop of a world that has suddenly changed overnight.
Set in 2001, the film centers on Franny (Cosma), a 16-year-old German exchange student, who swaps her home in Brandenburg for the sleepy desert town of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Adjusting to a few minor cultural differences, such as not being able to wear a crop top in high school, Franny soon makes friends with outgoing Sam (Bianca Dumais) and fellow German exchange student Ida (Rebecca Shulz). Still, her experience suddenly takes a turn after the events of 9/11. At the same time, Franny’s attention is drawn to Elliott (David Flores) when she sees him playing in a local band. After a tentative approach, Franny senses a fellow outsider in Elliott and the pair form a touching bond, but the relationship doesn’t quite go the way Franny expects.
Cosma is terrific as Franny, delivering a compelling, thoughtful performance that has relatively little dialogue, forcing the audience to pay attention to her face and body language. However, when she does speak, she’s both observant and perceptive, particularly when she speaks about the differences between herself (an East German) and Ida (a West German), remarking that she was “born in a country that doesn’t exist anymore”, further underlining her outsider status. On top of that, Cosma also sparks palpable physical chemistry with Flores as Elliott (you can literally feel their vibe from across the room). However, their subsequent relationship is frustratingly underwritten. In fairness, that’s sort of the point – Franny tries to get to know Elliott, but he becomes increasingly distant – but the script doesn’t really give us much to go on in the first place, other than the way he looks, which is in itself amusing, because he looks so much like Franny. There’s strong supporting work from Dumais as Sam, who has a touching scene with Franny in which she reveals a quietly devastating experience that suddenly puts the small town and its environment in a different light. There’s also strong work from Schulz as Ida, while Jazmine Olague has some good throwaway lines as Robin, the daughter of Franny’s host family. However, the character of Patty (Kendall Myers) – the 14-year-old adopted daughter of Franny’s host family – is also oddly underdeveloped; there’s clearly something going on with her, whether it’s learning difficulties or something darker. Still, the script effectively looks the other way and never engages with her story.
Needless to say, there isn’t much in the way of an actual plot, though the shifts in the town’s attitudes towards outsiders in the wake of 9/11 are notable. It’s this element that gives the film its strong sense of contemporary resonance, especially during an incredibly tense scene in which the host family encounters a New Mexico border control officer who instructs Franny not to say anything. On a similar note, there’s a pointed scene where one of the young American high schoolers calls Franny “Nazi Girl” as a joke at a bonfire party. It’s a revealing moment that highlights a lack of cultural awareness, but it also serves as a reminder that the word will be heard much more in the cultural sphere over the coming years.
Rivilis’ assured direction evokes an extraordinary sense of time and place, effectively steeping the film in nostalgia, not least for a more innocent time before mobile phones. Drawing on her own experiences (the film is at least semi-autobiographical in that respect), Rivilis has Franny frequently capture moments from her day-to-day life on a small, handheld video camera, with the camera often cutting to Franny’s footage during the scenes. This gives the film an immediacy and a personal touch. Still, it underscores the nostalgic element because of the outdated format, even as the urge to video everything is another example of contemporary relevance.
The film is further heightened by stunning cinematography from DOP Giulia Schelhas, who captures the rich blues and oranges of the New Mexico landscape, highlighting the contrast between hot days and cold nights. The highlight is a visually striking sequence where Franny and Elliott drive out to the desert, with Schelhas making the sands look like an alien landscape. Finally, Rivillis seasons the mix with an eclectic soundtrack that ranges from Nina Simone’s “Wild is the Wind” to classic Spanish-language hit “La Llorona” (performed by Chavela Vargas) to grunge-punk and pop. The highlight is Franny’s song of choice at the local talent show – she performs PJ Harvey’s cover version of Bertolt Brecht’s “Ballad of the Soldier’s Wife,” just in case you hadn’t already fallen in love with her enough at that point.
“I’ll Be Gone In June” is an accomplished and original debut that marks out both Katharina Rivilis and Naomi Cosma as future talents to watch. Rivilis is so distinct in her filmmaking voice, capable of transforming intimate, melancholic personal memories into something universal and profound. It’s one of the undisputed highlights of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, so here’s hoping it gets the theatrical release it deserves.
