Life might seem black and white and grey in Alexandre Rockwell's gritty social drama, but the imagination is all the more colourful. Whether it's a moment of happiness, a dream or a memory: these are the rare glimmering splashes of colour in the film and in a childhood defined by the problems of separated parents. Billie and Nico are siblings who struggle through their everyday lives in a small port town in Massachusetts. Their father, who raises them, shows them plenty of love and warmth, but he is far too addicted to alcohol. Their mother refuses to take any responsibility, until the circumstances demand otherwise. In the end, Billie and Nico are left with no choice but to escape into a utopia, which they conjure up together with a neighbouring boy in the shape of a magical dream adventure, until harsh reality washes over them again and presents the bare facts.
For the acclaimed American independent director, who here works with his own family for the second time, Sweet Thing is more than a portrait of a broken childhood or just the continuation of his festival hit Little Feet (2016). It is a highly personal attempt to find a space between the cracks for humanity as well as for music (Billie Holiday!) – and for a poetry that speaks of the irrepressible power of love.
