SYNOPSIS

 

La Graciosa - Canarian Dreams
Feature-length documentary by Karin Kaper and Dirk Szuszies

The directors have known the small island of La Graciosa, north of Lanzarote, since 1994. Who could have imagined back then what dramatic changes the people there would experience over the next three decades?

La Graciosa is now officially recognized as the eighth island of the Canary Islands—a status for which the approximately 600 residents, who all live in a single village, fought for many years.
La Graciosa is a unique microcosm. The film’s protagonists are various residents of the village with whom the filmmakers have built trusting relationships over the years. They shed light on current social issues: women’s equality, the importance of local self-government, the protection of nature and the environment, the development of alternative forms of ecologically sustainable tourism, questions of social coexistence, respect for the life achievements of the older generation, and the loss of traditions.
A declaration of love for the islanders’ zest for life and spirit of resistance, as they—much like a certain famous Gallic village—fight back against the higher authorities on Lanzarote with tenacity and wit!
At the heart of this somewhat unconventional travel film lies the question: Does paradise on earth even exist? Have all the dreams of the people on La Graciosa come true?

 

 

The film’s official world premiere will take place on October 2, 2026, in Barcelona at the Travel Films Awards film festival
at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona.
As part of the Muestra de Cine de Lanzarote, a special screening was organized for the film’s protagonists and the villagers of La Graciosa.
In Germany, the film will be presented in mid-September 2026 at the Filmkunstmesse in Leipzig.
The nationwide theatrical release in Germany will take place on October 15, 2026.

Directors Karin Kaper and Dirk Szuszies will
personally attend the film events during the theater tour.