Commendation of the Ecumenical Jury, Chemnitz 2017

Sugar Sand tells the story of an extraordinary friendship between two 10-year-old boys faced with the threat of separation by the inner German border in the year 1979. Questions of faith and values come to the surface for Fred as he is met with the religious background of his best friend Jonas. With an open curiosity towards the world that he as a GDR citizen is unable to experience, Fred explores the true meaning of solidarity and the properties of the soul through his friendship with Jonas. Although not exclusively a children’s film Sugar Sand still raises relevant and balanced reflections on navigating life in a system of bureaucracy that we find appropriate for a younger audience. (Photo: © Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion)