San Clemente Syndrome

When her father doesn’t show up for a weekend visit in a beach town, a young woman has a fling with an older surfer. “San Clemente Syndrome,” directed by Claire Offenberger, is a portrait of disappointment and longing carried by tender performances and a reflective mood. She’s a college student excited for some quality time with her dad, but all of the sudden, he’s not answering his phone. As she waits for him, she looks for a way to fill the time. That’s when she meets a sensitive, long-haired surfer, an intimate connection that complicates her weekend even further. Built around body language and eye contact as much as dialogue, Offenberger’s film is a richly observed exploration of the emotions and needs of a daughter with an unpredictable father.