Mette Carla Albrechtsen's pastel-hued documentary A Place in the Sun subverts the picture-postcard image of the Canary Islands, revealing the human labour and suffering that sustain its luxury resorts. Through static shots of cerulean pools, pristine beaches, and dawn raves, the film initially presents the archipelago as a tourist haven. However, interspersed with these restful scenes are candid interviews with on-site workers, whose stories expose the trials and tribunals behind glossy travel brochures.
Migrant Stories of Escape and Hardship
Some workers come to the islands seeking an escape from routine. A long-time Danish resident laments his home country's gloomy weather but finds it hard to form lasting relationships in what he calls a transitional space, where few migrant friends set permanent roots. Others flee more desperate circumstances, such as economic hardship and war. In a staggering juxtaposition, the film cuts from a popular nightclub to a sombre dock where social workers tend to migrants rescued from dangerous sea journeys.
Humanitarian Crisis and Environmental Threats
Promised safe passage to Spain by traffickers, tens of thousands of asylum seekers are left in a stateless limbo, all while contributing their labour to luxury resorts. The film also weaves in news of volcanic eruptions and climate change, floating disturbingly through the airwaves. By interweaving environmental destruction and human toil, Albrechtsen powerfully lays bare the fragility and inequality underlying this Edenic idyll.
Release and Impact
A Place in the Sun is on True Story from 10 July. The film offers a critical gaze on the human cost of tourism, challenging viewers to reconsider the true price of paradise.
