The Siege of Paradise

A turquoise sea that sparkles in the sun, houses in pastel shades against steep cliffs, and a plate of pasta with fresh pesto: is this paradise? The 3.5 million tourists who visit the Italian Cinque Terre every year think so.

The 4000 residents themselves are not so sure anymore. Every summer, their five villages on the Ligurian coast are flooded with tourists. Yes, money is being made, but at what cost? The infrastructure is creaking and cracking, waste spills over the bins, and the youth can no longer afford a house in their own village.

An Irish film crew spent a season in this besieged paradise to see what mass tourism does to such a place. With a slightly ironic yet loving perspective and a keen eye for detail, they follow a troubled restaurant owner, a winemaker, a philosophical fisherman, a frustrated mayor, an American influencer, and more. Everyone is searching in their own way (with varying success) for a balance between economic interests and livability.