Robin Campillo followed his magnificent BPM (Beats per Minute) (2017) with this portrait of French colonialism’s last breaths in 1970s Madagascar, as seen through the eyes of a daydreaming ten-year-old boy.

That kid was based on Campillo’s personal childhood experiences, lending this project a personal touch.

Madly uneven in many ways. There are strikingly shot scenes that make good use of sound, fantasy and visual details to evoke memories and a feel for the period… but it lacks focus and a compelling narrative.

2023-France-Belgium. 116 min. Color. Directed by Robin Campillo. Screenplay: Robin Campillo, Gilles Marchand. Cinematography: Jeanne Lapoirie. Cast: Nadia Tereszkiewicz (Colette Lopez), Quim Gutiérrez (Robert Lopez), Charlie Vauselle (Thomas Lopez), Amely Rakotoarimalala, Hugues Delamarlière, Sophie Guillemin. 

Trivia: Original title: L’Île rouge.