“Midsommar mostly takes place in Sweden, but at its core is a particularly American sense of rootlessness. The characters long for a sense of community and continuity, which leads to selectively romanticizing the customs of others and the connection to the past they represent…It’s only Dani who understands this, who in a warped way ends up acclimating best to the increasingly outrageous customs because she appreciates the greater attachments they represent. Pelle, who sees Dani in a way that Christian and his friend don’t, tells her that everyone deserves to have people they feel held by. It’s Dani, who has abandonment nightmares about everyone driving away laughing in the middle of the night and leaving her behind, who actually needs those connections, who desperately wants to be part of a group in a more meaningful and lasting way.” - Midsommar (2019) dir. Ari Aster
