The Sweet East

The Sweet East follows Lillian, a high school student from South Carolina who travels to Washington, D.C. on a school trip. Separated from her classmates, she sets off on her own journey through the cities and forests of the American East Coast, encountering a succession of people who claim the country as their home, from white supremacists and Islamic radicals to neo-punks. The film is a picaresque comedy-drama with fantastical touches, presenting contemporary America as seen through the eyes of a young runaway.

The film marks the directorial debut of Sean Price Williams, previously known as a cinematographer, working from a screenplay by Nick Pinkerton. Alex Ross Perry, Craig Butta and Alex Coco produced. Talia Ryder leads as Lillian, with Earl Cave, Simon Rex, Ayo Edebiri, Jeremy O. Harris and Jacob Elordi among the supporting cast, which totals 54 credited performers and 117 credited crew members. The film runs 104 minutes.

Released in December 2023, The Sweet East received a film critics' rating of 7/10 from 71 reviews, higher than its audience scores of 6.4/10 on IMDb from around 3,900 votes and 6.5/10 on TMDB from over 100 votes.