Dólares de arena explores a theme that often crops up in a certain type of gay cinema: sex tourism in Caribbean countries and how to use the emotions to escape from harsh reality. But it does so from a different perspective thanks to the ability of Laura Guzmán, director of this light-filled film. Guzmán is more interested in delving into the emotional world of two women than in sexual sensationalism, and this explains her choice of the great Geraldine Chaplin to play one of the two main roles.

Noelí is a young Dominican girl who walks the beaches every afternoon, looking for the best way to earn a few dollars from tourists, whether men or women. One of her favourites is Anne, a mature Frenchwoman who has found an inner refuge on the island. Neither her boyfriend's plans, nor money, nor the dream of shimmering Paris can stop Noelí from becoming deeply confused about her own feelings.