The Sandman

The Fraulein and the Sandman is a 2011 romantic comedy in the Swiss German language, by Swiss director Peter Luisi, about a man leaking sand that causes people to dream (similar to the mythological figure the Sandman). Plot Benno (Fabian Krüger) lives a relatively quiet life, working as a stamp dealer and living alone, although he frequently visits his girlfriend Patrizia (Florine Elena Deplazes). However, he has one great irritation in life: His apartment lies above a diner owned by a woman called Sandra (Irene Brügger), who frequently keeps Benno awake by practising her one-man-band act for a talent show at night. One morning, Benno notices that he is losing sand; he cannot explain where it comes from, and tries to ignore it at first, but it increases, and soon he leaves sand almost everywhere he goes. Visits to a doctor do not reveal anything wrong, and a psychiatrist cannot help either, believing “losing sand” to be Benno's metaphor for his life instead of taking it literally. Benno even tries calling Dimitri (Michel Gammenthaler), a television psychic, but is only told to “search within your dreams” and that “the answer is nine”.