Winter Spring Summer or Fall

{{Distinguish|Winter Spring Summer Fall|Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Winter Spring Summer or Fall

| image = Winter Spring Summer or Fall.png

| caption = Release poster

| alt = The two lead characters from the film appear in the poster, depicting a girl (Remi) putting her head on a boy's (Barnes) shoulder.

| director = Tiffany Paulsen

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Josh Shader
Brad Krevoy
David M. Wulf

}}

| screenplay = Dan Schoffer

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Zac Rae

| cinematography = Graham Robbins

| editing = Simon Davidson

| production_companies = {{Plainlist|

Motion Picture Corporation of America
Wall Fly

}}

| distributor = {{Plainlist|

}}

| released = {{Film date|2024|6|6|Tribeca Festival|2025|4|25|United States}}

| runtime = 97 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Winter Spring Summer or Fall is a 2024 American romantic drama film directed by Tiffany Paulsen from a screenplay by Dan Schoffer. It is produced by Josh Shader of Wall Fly, Brad Krevoy of Motion Picture Corporation of America, and David M. Wulf. Starring Jenna Ortega and Percy Hynes White in leading roles, the story follows four segments in different seasons, showing two teenagers who fall in love over four days in a year.

Filming took place in late-2022 in Salt Lake City after about two years of development. Distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution, the film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 6, 2024, and was released digitally on April 25, 2025.

Plot

One winter day, Barnes Hawthorne sees Remi Aguilar on their way to New York City, having sneaked her earlier at P.J.'s neighborhood. They meet on the train and strike up a conversation about their future plans; Remi aspires to attend Harvard University and become a lawyer like her parents, while Barnes plans an aimless gap year. Remi suggests some hobbies to him, like volunteering for sea turtles or working for a music group, while Barnes shows her a playlist of Talking Heads. When they reach their stop, Barnes asks Remi out on a date, but she is struck by a cyclist and needs stitches. At the hospital, Remi gently declines the date, explaining that she does not want such a person in her life at the moment. Their paths separate, as Remi has a tour of Columbia University, while Barnes attends a concert.

Months later, on the day of prom in spring, Remi's parents give her an unsolicited sex talk despite her resistance and hand her a few condoms just in case. Remi's date, Lucas, sees the condoms and assumes she intends to sleep with him, which she denies. Elsewhere, Barnes asks his mother if he can borrow the car to take his ex-girlfriend, Erica, to the prom. Remi unexpectedly reconnects with Barnes as their dates ditch them at the prom. Inspired by Barnes' playlist, they dance to "Burning Down the House". But when a slow song comes on, Barnes suggests to leave for sushi.

During the dinner, Barnes reveals fluency in Japanese, having grown up in Japan, where his single mother worked as an Army medic. Afterward, he takes Remi to his house and assures her he has no bad intentions. They smoke the joint Remi got from P.J. at the prom. Barnes admits he wanted to see Remi again, and he is considering volunteering with sea turtles in Costa Rica, inspired by her suggestion. Remi reminds him she has to leave for Harvard in four months. Undeterred, the two kiss and decide to stay together for the summer.

On a day in summer, Remi and Barnes, while smoking on P.J.'s roof, watch Remi's dad paint their house crimson in honor of Remi going to Harvard. Encouraged by Barnes, Remi, however, tells her parents that she has also been planning to volunteer in Costa Rica for months. Her parents react angrily, considering her future, and ground her. Instead, Remi brushes them off and leaves with Barnes to celebrate the 4th of July at a lake house. There, Remi crashes P.J.'s jeep while drunk driving, and argues with Barnes that a gap year is not the right decision, ultimately ending their three-month-long relationship.

In the fall, Remi is attending Harvard and working as a waitress as well. She sees on Instagram that Barnes is also in Boston, and sends him a text. They catch up on campus and admit they miss each other, but agree that their breakup may have been for the best. Remi invites him to a Halloween party, but he has a concert that night, as he is an assistant at a record label and touring with a band. Encouraged by her friends, Remi crashes into the concert venue, confesses she still has feelings for Barnes, and asks if they can reconcile despite the challenges. Barnes gently declines, saying they are better off as friends. Remi respects his decision and leaves crying.

Later, the band also encourages Barnes to express his true feelings for her, after which he realizes his mistake in turning her down. The band helps Barnes by serenading Remi outside her dorm. Remi comes out surprised, and the two share unspoken glances before reuniting with a kiss.

Cast

Jenna Ortega as Remi Aguilar
Percy Hynes White as Barnes Hawthorne
Marisol Nichols as Carmen, Remi's mother
Elias Kacavas as P.J.
Adam Rodriguez as Javier, Remi's father
Jacqueline Emerson as Robyn
Evangeline Barrosse as herself
Kate Rachesky as Wendy
Alexis Zollicoffer as Sheryl
Garet Allen as Dean
Larkin Bell as Saira
Corynn Treadwell as Ashley Middleton
Kylee Anderson as Erica Morris
Langi Tuifua as Connor Frisk
Joey Miyashima as Kenji
Wendy Joseph as Kate
Ahaise as Wade
Bridget Oberlin as Stevie, Barnes' mother
Terran Lowe as Lucas
B.Z. Collins as a bouncer
Michael "Mike" Turner as a bassist
Cameron Foremaster as a guitarist
Brianna Wendorf as a drummer
Mark Provencher as Mr. Provencher

Production

=Devopment=

After she had done Holidate in 2020, Tiffany Paulsen received an early version of the script by Dan Schoffer, through the co-producer Josh Shader. They collaborated to finalize the script, took inspirations by Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise, and titled the project Winter Spring Summer or Fall. Paulsen, originally a screenwriter, took the responsibility to direct her first film. Brad Krevoy and David M. Wulf also joined as co-producers.

=Casting and filming=

{{Multiple image

| total_width = 300

| image1 = Wednesday NYCC 2022 1 (cropped).jpg

| image2 = Percy Hynes White Comic Con Astana.jpg

| footer = Ortega (left) and Hynes (right) appeared as teenage lovers; the two also starred in Netflix series Wednesday (2022) while they were filming for the Winter Spring Summer or Fall. The director called their bond as "lightning in a bottle", and called Ortega as the filmmakers' "first choice" and "dream team", while recalling her tight schedule with availability of about "11 days" window.

}}

Paulsen cast Jenna Ortega just before the latter went on to film Wednesday in September 2021, or be known as "Gen Z's scream queen".{{efn|Refer to Jenna Ortega, a "Gen Z's scream queen"}} Reportedly, this has been Ortega's first romantic role and she has also served as an executive producer. Her primary choice had been horror films and she has expressed of not liking the romantic genres.{{Cite news |date=September 13, 2021 |title=Tim Burton's 'Wednesday' Series Officially Begins Filming at Netflix [Exclusive] |url=https://www.moviesr.net/p-tim-burton-s-wednesday-series-officially-begins-filming-at-netflix |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106183203/https://www.moviesr.net/p-tim-burton-s-wednesday-series-officially-begins-filming-at-netflix |archive-date=November 6, 2022 |access-date=September 13, 2021 |work=Midgard Times |author=Bradley}}{{cite news |author=Hunter Harris |title=Jenna Ortega is watching you |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a43181047 |access-date=May 26, 2025 |work=Elle |date=March 7, 2023}}{{cite news |author=Karen Benardello |title=Tribeca/Winter Spring Summer or Fall: Interview with Director |url=https://cinemadailyus.com/interviews/tribeca-winter-spring-summer-or-fall-interview-with-director |access-date=May 23, 2025 |work=Cinema Daily US |date=June 16, 2024 |archive-date=June 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617164527/https://cinemadailyus.com/interviews/tribeca-winter-spring-summer-or-fall-interview-with-director |url-status=live }}

After about two years of pre-production, the principal photography began on Halloween, in October 2022, at Salt Lake City, Utah, with Percy Hynes White joining opposite Ortega in lead.{{cite news |author=Tim Lammers |title=Director On Magic Of Jenna Ortega In New Movie With 'Wednesday' Co-Star |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2024/06/05/director-talks-the-magic-of-working-with-jenna-ortega-on-her-new-movie |access-date=May 23, 2025 |work=Forbes |date=June 5, 2024}}{{cite news |author=Katie Louise Smith |title=Jenna Ortega and Percy Hynes White are playing love interests in a new romcom |url=https://www.capitalfm.com/news/tv-film/jenna-ortega-percy-hynes-white-winter-spring-summer-fall-movie |access-date=May 23, 2025 |publisher=Capital FM |date=December 9, 2022 |archive-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110192809/https://www.capitalfm.com/news/tv-film/jenna-ortega-percy-hynes-white-winter-spring-summer-fall-movie/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news|author=Justin Kroll|title=Jenna Ortega & Her 'Wednesday' Co-Star Percy Hynes White Reunite On Tiffany Paulsen's Directorial Debut 'Winter Spring Summer Or Fall'|url=https://deadline.com/2022/12/jenna-ortega-tiffany-paulsen-winter-spring-summer-or-fall-1235200623|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 15, 2022|access-date=September 19, 2023|archive-date=December 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222051131/https://deadline.com/2022/12/jenna-ortega-tiffany-paulsen-winter-spring-summer-or-fall-1235200623|url-status=live}} Meanwhile, the cast was given a three-week break to cover promotional events for their then-upcoming series Wednesday, which later became the second most-watched series on the platform.{{cite news |title=Wednesday Finally Beats Stranger Things On Netflix's Most Popular Shows Chart (With A Twist) 4 |author=Adam Bentz |url=https://screenrant.com/wednesday-beats-stranger-things-netflix-top-10-shows |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=ScreenRant |date=June 20, 2023}}{{cite news |author=Ethan Shanfeld |title='Squid Game 2' Becomes Netflix's Third Most-Watched Season Ever, After 'Squid Game 1' and 'Wednesday' |url=https://variety.com/2025/global/news/squid-game-2-views-netflix-1236274258 |access-date=May 23, 2025 |work=Variety |date=January 14, 2025 |archive-date=April 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401002357/https://variety.com/2025/global/news/squid-game-2-views-netflix-1236274258 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author=Hilary Lewis |title='Winter Spring Summer or Fall' Director on Helming Her First Movie With Jenna Ortega, Percy Hynes White Amid 'Wednesday' Frenzy |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/winter-spring-summer-or-fall-director-jenna-ortega-1235926698 |access-date=May 23, 2025 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=June 19, 2024 |archive-date=March 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250323003603/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/winter-spring-summer-or-fall-director-jenna-ortega-1235926698 |url-status=live }}

Over the time, Motion Picture Corporation of America revealed to the Deadline Hollywood that Adam Rodriguez and Marisol Nichols were signed in as Ortega's character's parents.{{cite news |author=Justin Kroll |title=Adam Rodriguez Joins Jenna Ortega In 'Winter Spring Summer Or Fall' |url=https://deadline.com/2022/12/adam-rodriguez-jenna-ortega-winter-spring-summer-or-fall-1235201285 |access-date=May 23, 2025 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=December 16, 2022 |archive-date=May 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528032252/https://deadline.com/2022/12/adam-rodriguez-jenna-ortega-winter-spring-summer-or-fall-1235201285/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author=Ashley Steves |title=Marisol Nichols Joins Jenna Ortega in 'Winter Spring Summer Or Fall' |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/marisol-nichols-joins-jenna-ortega-film-76010 |work=Backstage |date=February 22, 2023 |access-date=May 27, 2023}} Before she had cast Hynes, the director wanted Kacavas in lead role, but he instead chose to play the lead pair's neighbor/friend.{{cite news |author=Denise Petski |title='Pretty Little Liars: Summer School': Elias Kacavas Upped To Series Regular For Season 2 |url=https://deadline.com/2023/04/pretty-little-liars-summer-school-elias-kacavas-promoted-series-regular-season-2-1235313995 |access-date=May 26, 2025 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=April 3, 2023}} Evangeline Barrosse, an indie musician, was discovered and approached to perform her original songs in the film, which she accepted excitedly.{{cite news |author=Sophia June |title=Meet Evangeline, The Indie Musician About To Star Alongside Jenna Ortega |url=https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/evangeline-winter-spring-summer-or-fall-jenna-ortega-mystic-video |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=Nylon |date=March 14, 2023}}

The film is set in the East Coast of the United States and depicts one day each from four seasons; winter, spring, summer, and fall, so the set and the wardrobe had to be designed accordingly despite being filmed in winter season with limited sunny days. Gabriel Jessop and Alyson Hancey served as the production designer and costume designer respectively. Paulsen also took David Byrne's formal permission to use song "Burning Down the House".{{cite news |author=Owen Danoff |title=Winter Spring Summer Or Fall Director Tiffany Paulsen On Jenna Ortega's First Romance |url=https://screenrant.com/winter-spring-summer-or-fall-director-tiffany-paulsen-interview |access-date=May 23, 2025 |work=ScreenRant |date=June 7, 2024 |archive-date=June 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607232648/https://screenrant.com/winter-spring-summer-or-fall-director-tiffany-paulsen-interview |url-status=live }}

=Post-production=

After the filming wrapped up, the post-production phase started in January 2023, but the release was shelved. Graham Robbins served as the cinematographer, Simon Davidson as film editor, and Michael "Mike" Turner as the music supervisor, while Zac Rae has composed the film score.{{cite news |author=Ariz. Gilbert |title=Mike Turner, a CRAS Graduate, Who Didn't Even Know What a Music Supervisor Was Until Age 30, Now Excels in His Career with Numerous Award Nomination and Wins |url=https://www.recordingmag.com/news/sometimes-your-career-finds-you |access-date=May 26, 2025 |work=Recording Magazine |date=May 16, 2024}}{{cite news |author=Tim Lammers |title=Percy Hynes White Director: 'I Look Forward To Working With Him Again' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2024/06/05/percy-hynes-white-director-i-look-forward-to-working-with-him-again |access-date=May 23, 2025 |work=Forbes |date=June 5, 2024}}

=Music=

{{Infobox album

| italic_title = no

| name = Winter Spring Summer or Fall (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

| type = Soundtrack

| artist = Zac Rae, Evangeline

| cover =

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|2025|4|25}}

| recorded = 2022–2023

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Indie music

| length = {{Duration|m=31|s=6}}

| label = Lakeshore Records

| producer =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

| misc = {{External media

| audio1 = {{Itunes|album/1807576854|Full album}}

| video1 = {{YouTube|S4U-hW97OpA|"What Are You Doing Later?"}}

}}

{{Singles

| type = Soundtrack

| single1 = What Are You Doing Later?

| single1date = {{Start date|2025|4|23}}

}}

The soundtrack album was released by Lakeshore Records via music streaming services on April 25, 2025. The tracks 1–4 are songs by Evangeline, while tracks 5–19 are score by Zac Rae.

{{Tracklist

| headline = Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

| total_length = 31:06

| title1 = Windansea

| length1 = 3:42

| title2 = Will

| length2 = 3:17

| title3 = Meet Me Where I'm At

| length3 = 3:32

| title4 = What Are You Doing Later?

| length4 = 3:19

| title5 = Winter Train

| length5 = 0:56

| title6 = Into the City

| length6 = 0:34

| title7 = A Possibility

| length7 = 0:29

| title8 = Lawyers and Love

| length8 = 1:07

| title9 = Heading Uptown

| length9 = 0:39

| title10 = Bicycle Waltz

| length10 = 1:10

| title11 = Omakase

| length11 = 1:36

| title12 = Outside Barnes House

| length12 = 0:31

| title13 = A Floral Mr. Miyagi

| length13 = 0:57

| title14 = Lakeside

| length14 = 1:39

| title15 = Reconnecting

| length15 = 2:05

| title16 = On the Bridge

| length16 = 1:26

| title17 = Back to the Dorm

| length17 = 0:37

| title18 = Am I an Idiot?

| length18 = 0:35

| title19 = The Teenage Ritual

| note19 = End Credits

| length19 = 2:55

}}

Release

The film premiered at the 23rd Tribeca Festival on June 6, 2024.{{cite news |author=Hilary Lewis |title=Tribeca Festival 2024 to Feature Jenna Ortega, Kristen Stewart and Lily Gladstone Movies |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tribeca-festival-2024-lineup-kristen-stewart-jenna-ortega-lily-gladstone-1235875904 |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=April 17, 2024}}{{cite news |author=Tim Lammers |title=Jenna Ortega Movie With 'Wednesday' Co-Star Gets World Premiere Date |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2024/05/06/jenna-ortega-movie-with-wednesday-co-star-gets-world-premiere-date |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=Forbes |date=May 6, 2024}} It was released as premium video on demand by Paramount Pictures on April 25, 2025, and also had a limited theatrical release.{{cite news |author1=Alex West |title=Little-known Jenna Ortega 2024 movie finally gets release date after controversy |url=https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/movies/jenna-winter-spring-summer-fall-1095273 |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=The Mirror US |date=April 15, 2025}}{{cite news |author1=Tim Lammers |title=Jenna Ortega's 'Winter Spring Summer Or Fall' Is New On Streaming - How To Watch |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2025/04/25/jenna-ortegas-winter-spring-summer-or-fall-is-new-on-streaminghow-to-watch |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=Forbes |date=April 25, 2025}}

Reception

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|36|5.5|14|}}{{Rotten Tomatoes|m/winter_spring_summer_or_fall}}. Retrieved May 23, 2025.

Lovia Gyarkye praised the director while writing for The Hollywood Reporter, saying that she has an "intuitive sense" of making one blush by capturing close-ups of "the longing gazes" and "subtle touches" between the lead pair.{{cite news |author=Lovia Gyarkye |title='Winter Spring Summer or Fall' Review: Jenna Ortega and Percy Hynes White Anchor a Feathery Romance |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/winter-spring-summer-or-fall-review-jenna-ortega-percy-hynes-white-1235917220 |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=June 7, 2024}} Belen Edwards commented for Mashable that this "Wednesday reunion is anything but charming" as their "romance feels more like horror".{{cite news |author=Belen Edwards |title='Winter Spring Summer or Fall' review: Jenna Ortega's romance makes us want to scream |url=https://mashable.com/article/winter-spring-summer-or-fall-review |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=Mashable |date=June 7, 2024 |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207150306/https://mashable.com/article/winter-spring-summer-or-fall-review |url-status=live }} Writing for Next Best Picture, Lauren LaMagna praised it as a "unique coming-of-age story", which is both "heartwarming and heartbreaking" and "captures the essence of first love".{{cite news |author=Lauren LaMagna |title="Winter Spring Summer or Fall" - Review |url=https://nextbestpicture.com/winter-spring-summer-or-fall |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=Next Best Picture |date=June 8, 2024 |archive-date=November 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108151640/https://nextbestpicture.com/winter-spring-summer-or-fall/ |url-status=live }} Will Bjarnar commented for InSession Film that the film "is hardly ever convincing, let alone natural".{{cite news |author=Will Bjarnar |title=Movie Review (Tribeca 2024): 'Winter Spring Summer or Fall' is an Empty YA Romance |url=https://insessionfilm.com/movie-review-tribeca-2024-winter-spring-summer-or-fall |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=InSession Film |date=June 12, 2024 |archive-date=June 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612170507/https://insessionfilm.com/movie-review-tribeca-2024-winter-spring-summer-or-fall/ |url-status=live }} For Paste, Jesse Hassenger called it "more than a little cheap-looking" movie, which is "full of heartfelt contrivances".{{cite news |author1=Jesse Hassenger |title=Winter Spring Summer or Fall Review: Jenna Ortega Says Anything |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/jenna-ortega/winter-spring-summer-or-fall-review-tribeca |access-date=May 24, 2025 |work=Paste Magazine |date=June 17, 2024}}