Sweeties
German Premiere
Documentary / Anneke de Lind van Wijngaarden, Natalie Bruijns / The Netherlands, Belgium / 80 Min / OmdU
Three 14-year-old girls embark on a summer holiday with their families to a campsite in the South of France. Feelings and aspirations of young love are in the air. The outdoor campsites, however, are in stark contrast with the online world, where a lot of the girls’ connections are rooted. Talk of what love is, the changes in how people approach romance, the pressures of social media, and the anxieties of coming of age are laid bare with poignant intimacy. For Malak, the camp experience offers a chance to find a new romantic connection. Celia longs for the partner she has but must face the unwanted distance between them. Meanwhile, the only connections Jae wants are those on her phone.
The three girls have differing expectations going in but soon find that this summer holiday will be not only memorable but transformative as well.
Film discussion: Puberty as an emotional rollercoaster ride - from the perspective of science and a young woman who has just survived this turbulent phase of life.
