Sugarland

Iga is in her car driving north. Her plans to spend lonely, thoughtful days on the highway are thwarted at a gas station by Ethan, a drifting Englishman. After intial hesitation, she agrees to give him a lift. As they talk, music comes up again and again, but Iga’s car radio is broken, so they fill the silence with their conversations, which gradually bring them closer together. As the car moves along in the flow of traffic, the two travelers are searching for a destination. Images of them driving by traffic signs, billboards, and dimming headlights blend with the atmospheric sounds of the soundtrack. Although seemingly an invitation to dream, this encounter between two strangers, which could end at any moment, is clearly fraught with danger. At rest stops, a lot is alluded to and left behind, and both seem to have brought a secret with them on this journey. While two kindred spirits have met on this trip, their differences force them to question the purpose of their travels, and thereby also their way of navigating through uncertain times. Iga and Ethan are not the only main characters in Sugarland; also playing major roles are, among others, the journey, the detours, the stops at seemingly nameless places, the vastness, and the sense of loneliness within it. (Theo Maier)

(Translation: Lisa Rosenblatt)