It was summer. Teenage boy Didac is on a cycling trip along the river with his family. One day, while cooling off in the water after a long, sweaty ride, he encounters a mysterious naked boy named Alexander. Appearing and disappearing as effortlessly as the current itself, Alexander leaves ripples in Didac’s heart. Eventually, the two boys escape downriver in a boat, spending the night together in the giddy haze of first love. But when morning comes, they must face the new day, still feeling the imprint of the night before lingering on their necks. From their dreamlike first encounter beneath the water to the breathless run through shafts of sunlight, Strange River gently paints a tender portrait of a boy’s first love and growing pains—like a fleeting midsummer night’s dream. Savoring the lush scenery of the European summer is yet another pleasure the film offers. (LEE Juhyun)