Felix Lobrecht is one of them hottest stand-up comedians and podcasters in Germany. In his novel about Sun and Concrete, he processed his own experiences but also added fictional events. The film adaptation by David Wnendt has become a study of Berlin’s milieu. It wouldn’t be surprising if the film developed a cult similar to that of the Ruhr area films Bang Boom Bang and What doesn’t fit is made to fit.
Sun and Concrete has been available as a streaming subscription for the first time since March 15, 2024 – on Sky’s streaming service WOW.
One of the best German films of recent years: That’s what Sun and Concrete is about
The four boys Lukas (Levy Rico Arcos), Julius (Vincent Wiemer), Gino (Rafael Luis Klein-Heßling) and Sanchez (Aaron Maldonado Morales) live in Berlin-Neukölln. Between dirty parks, gangsters and boredom, they try to survive the heat wave of the summer of 2003. When they try to buy weed with their last money, they get confused between opposing dealers.
In the brawl that follows, Lukas is beaten up and has to pay protection money to one of the dealers. In order to get the necessary money, you have to come up with an idea quickly. Sanchez delivers this: You could steal and sell the school’s new computers. But that is easier said than done. And the consequences are more far-reaching than initially assumed.
Sun and Concrete is perhaps truer than a biography would be
When Felix Lobrecht’s book was published, he was asked several times in interviews whether the story was autobiographical. But it is only inspired by true experiences. The fact that Lobrecht draws on his experiences and incorporates true elements into the fiction However, it doesn’t make the story any less real, quite the opposite.
Rather, Sun and Concrete is a universal coming-of-age film that allows more people to identify with the events. It helps that each of the four main characters is given enough time to shed light on their individual problems. The choice of actors fits like a glove. More familiar faces in the German film landscape are only seen in the roles of teachers and parents.
The young people themselves were found through public casting and some of them live in the socially disadvantaged areas that serve as the backdrop for the film. Thanks to the acting performances and Lobrecht’s involvement in the script, the dialogues appear authentic and unaffected. A problem that many other German films have. The participation of Berlin rappers in some key roles, such as Luvre47, who plays Luka’s older brother Marco, also contributes to the authenticity of the film.
With over a million cinema viewers and box office receipts of more than 10 million euros, Sun and Concrete is one of the most successful German films of last year – and is probably the best of them.
If you missed sun and concrete in the cinema, you can now catch up on the streaming provider WOW.
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