Sugar tells the story of a Dominican teenager's journey from poverty to self-realization.

Miguel “Sugar” Santos (Algenis Perez Soto), like many other Dominicans his age, hopes that his exceptional talent as a baseball player will save him and his family from poverty. After years of grueling training, Miguel finally earns a chance to fulfill his dreams: a scout recruits him to pitch for a minor league team in Bridgetown, Iowa. After a cheerful farewell from his expectant community, Miguel faces many challenges both on and off the field in his new home. While his host family is warm and welcoming, he feels out of place in rural America. As his feelings of isolation increase, Miguel soon begins to question the validity of his once-certain dreams. Fleck and Boden resist the conventions of the generic sports movie or fish-out-of-water tale in this realist drama, which combines naturalist acting and beautifully constructed cinematography on the backdrop of America’s favorite pastime. (English and Spanish with English subtitles) (English and Spanish with English subtitles) -- Elena J. Bonomo