27/03/2026 - A supposed haven in the Paraguayan wilderness becomes a revealing microcosm of conspiracy culture and colonial fantasies in Yulia Lokshina’s unsettling documentary

Yulia Lokshina’s Around Paradise [+see also:
trailer
film profile] explores the uneasy intersection of utopian longing, conspiracy culture and lingering colonial fantasies through the portrait of a remote German enclave in Paraguay. Premiering internationally in the main competition of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival after bowing in the Panorama strand of the Berlinale, the film observes a community of European settlers attempting to construct a self-sufficient “paradise” far from what they see as the moral and political decay of the modern world. What begins as an intriguing anthropological study gradually unfolds into something more unsettling: a meditation on power, belief and the seductive pull of ideological bubbles.

The documentary centres on El Paraíso Verde, a gated compound in the Paraguayan region of Caazapá founded by a charismatic German couple who promise a new beginning for those disillusioned with Europe. Their followers – a ragtag assortment of conspiracy theorists, believers in alternative wellness therapies, political radicals and idealistic dreamers – arrive hoping to build a harmonious society beyond the reach of governments, vaccines, immigration and other perceived threats. In practice, the settlement functions less as a coherent utopia than as a patchwork of eccentric worldviews that coexist in a fragile equilibrium.

Notably, Lokshina gains remarkable access to the founders and their family, allowing viewers to witness the daily rhythms and ideological convictions shaping life inside the compound. Conversations drift from alternative medicine to extraterrestrial interference and spiritual warfare, all presented with calm certainty by those who believe in them. The helmer resists overt commentary, trusting that the sheer accumulation of statements and situations will reveal the contradictions underpinning the project. The effect is fascinating yet alarming: the film becomes an anatomy of how radical ideas sustain themselves when insulated from outside scrutiny.

Crucially, Around Paradise expands its perspective beyond the enclave itself. Lokshina juxtaposes the settlers’ aspirations with the realities of the Paraguayan landscape and the lives of local residents who inhabit the region around the compound. Two young Paraguayans – students trying to carve out a modest livelihood in an economically fragile area – serve as a counterpoint to the Europeans’ dream of escape. Their attempts to develop tourism projects and navigate the region’s history subtly underline the inequalities embedded in the settlers’ venture.

This broader context also draws attention to the deeper historical echoes haunting the community. Paraguay has long been a site for European fantasies of starting anew, from ideological colonies of the 19th century to later waves of settlers seeking distance from political scrutiny. By weaving in fragments of local legend and folklore – including tales from Guarani mythology – Lokshina situates the enclave within a much longer story of mythmaking and projection onto the South American landscape.

Stylistically, the movie is marked by careful observation and elegant cinematography by Zeno Legner, which captures both the lush Paraguayan environment and the ordered spaces of the settlement. The natural world often appears serene and expansive, contrasting sharply with the claustrophobic logic of the ideological universe cultivated within the compound. Meanwhile, editor Urte Alfs maintains a measured pacing that allows scenes to unfold unhurriedly, encouraging viewers to reflect on the uneasy coexistence of belief, opportunism and disillusionment.

As the narrative progresses, cracks begin to appear in the settlers’ collective dream. Financial tensions and accusations among residents suggest that the promised paradise may rest on far more precarious foundations than its leaders claim. Lokshina refrains from sensationalism, but the growing sense of internal fracture adds an effective dramatic dimension to the observational approach.

Thoughtful, unsettling and often darkly ironic, Around Paradise offers a compelling reflection on the contemporary resurgence of conspiratorial thinking and ideological escapism. Rather than ridiculing its subjects, Lokshina exposes the mechanisms through which belief systems take hold and flourish.

Around Paradise was produced by Trimafilm (Germany) together with ZDF (Germany). Filmotor is repping its international rights.