Lonely Planet

The film Lonely Planet tells the humorous story of a backpacker in search of unique experiences and personal enlightenment in a foreign land. The film’s protagonist, played by Julian Rosefeldt, first wanders through a barren, sandy desert and then crosses over to other shores in a barge. The artist’s romantic longing for pristine nature and established traditions, however, remains unfulfilled. Contrary to his initial hope, the arrival of modernity has also reached this exotic destination. The slums of Mumbai, scenes from an open-plan office, the cinema and the shooting of a Bollywood film leave him in doubt as to what role he will ultimately play. Although the protagonist makes a genuine effort to understand his hosts and get to know them better, he remains a stranger in the setting of his own movie. 
The title Lonely Planet is also the name of a popular travel guide series that is especially well-liked by backpackers. It promises authentic experiences in the respective destination, a hope that proves as allusive along the well-trodden paths of alternative tourism as that of the protagonist in Julian Rosefeldt’s film.