Every year, millions of tourists flock to the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean where the sun always shines. Through static shots resembling picture postcards, Mette Carla Albrechtsen’s pastel-hued documentary captures the leisure activities on offer: cerulean rooftop pools, pristine sandy beaches and raves that stretch into dawn. But as the resort asks its visitors to put their minds on hold, the film casts a critical gaze on the human labour that powers this luxury paradise. Interspersed with restful scenes of relaxation are candid interviews with on-site workers, whose stories reveal the trials and tribunals behind the glossy travel brochures.
Some simply come to the Canary Islands looking for an escape from routine. One long-time Danish resident laments the gloomy weather of his home country, but he finds it difficult to develop lasting relationships in the archipelago, a transitional space where few of his migrant friends set permanent roots. Others flee from more desperate circumstances – economic hardship and war. In one staggering juxtaposition, the film cuts from a popular nightclub to a sombre dock where social workers tend to a group of migrants rescued from dangerous sea journeys. Promised a safe passage to Spain by their traffickers, tens of thousands of asylum seekers are now left in a stateless limbo, all while contributing their labour to the various luxury resorts.
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