Red Island

“A wonderfully personal film, created with tenderness, unsentimental artistry and visual flair.”⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ The Guardian

From the director of 120 BPM and Eastern Boys comes this story set against the stunning backdrop of 1970s Madagascar. Told from the perspective of ten-year-old Thomas (Charlie Vauselle), we follow his philandering military father Robert (Quim Gutiérrez) and his mother Colette (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) as their marriage strains, just as the French authorities lose their grip on the colony.

Reminiscent of the work of Claire Denis in its effortless blending of the personal and political, this is one of the year’s hidden French gems. Seductive sunlight belies darker truths lurking in the shadows, making for a superb autobiographical period drama.