Tamal Kundu
Created by Tom Lenaerts and Paul Baeten Gronda, ‘Two Summers’ or ‘Twee Zomers’ is a Flemish-language thriller drama series. It follows a group of friends who have known each other for their entire lives. In 1992, they spent summer vacation together at a house in Zandhoven, Belgium. During this period, one of them, Sofie (Inge Paulussen in 2022 and Louise Bergez in 1992), was raped, while another, Mark (Felix Meyer), was killed in a fire. Shortly before reuniting with his friends 30 years after that horrible summer, Peter (Tom Vermeir in 2022 and Lukas Bulteel in 1992) receives a video clip of the rape from a mysterious source, threatening him with exposure if he didn’t pay 100 Bitcoins.
‘Two Summers’ is a complex show that goes through multiple narrative ups and downs in the course of its inaugural season. It deals with serious and realistic themes such as rape, misogyny, and imbalance of power and wealth. If that has made you wonder whether ‘Two Summers is inspired by real-life events, we got you covered.
Is Two Summers a True Story?
No, ‘Two Summers’ is not based on a true story. The creators, Lenaerts and Paul Baeten Gronda, came up with the plot. ‘Two Summers’ marks their second collaborative effort after the 2018 series ‘Open Water.’ Lenaerts also covered the directorial duties for the series along with Brecht Vanhoenacker.
‘Two Summers’ is yet another European thriller series with a lot of potential. Since Netflix has established itself as arguably the biggest streaming platform in the world, it has been consistently investing capital in international projects. ‘Two Summers,’ which Netflix co-developed along with the Antwerp-based production house, Panenka, was originally premiered in Belgium on Eén in February 2022 before it became available on Netflix. The project received significant support from the Belgian Tax Shelter and the French Tax Rebate for International Productions. Année Zéro production company was also involved in the development of the project.
The creators and producers of the Belgian series told local news outlets that they had worked with all their hearts on the show and were very proud of the end product and the success it achieved. ‘Two Summers’ was shortlisted for the Séries Mania television festival, which takes place in Lille, France.
‘Two Summers’ is one of the superlative TV shows to have come out of Flanders and secured its place on the Netflix roster. Other examples include ‘Undercover,’ ‘Tabula Rasa,’ ‘Beau Séjour,’ and ‘De Twaalf.’ Like these shows, ‘Two Summers’ showcases the creative diversity of Flanders while simultaneously underscoring the inherent darkness in almost all the characters. Clearly, ‘Two Summers’ is not based on a true story, but it’s perfectly understandable if someone thinks it is.
Read More: Two Summers Ending, Explained: What Happened to Sofie?
