In the middle of a barren, rocky dust landscape of the Midwest, the engine fails. What now? Breakdowns and - if you will - fate lead a colorful cast of characters to the Motel Shangri-La: a lay preacher, tourists, an escaped convict, a laid-back sheriff, and a quirky horse. With humor and a touch of melancholy, the American living in Leipzig tells a road movie with Wild West influences through Motel Shangri-La. The United States is presented here in a mirror that is both amusing and provocative.