The first film to come out of Madagascar in the last 30 years is a sensuous tale in which a teen muddies his way through grief and sense of self.

Madagascar, nowadays. Twenty-year-old Kwame, who struggles to make a living in the clandestine sapphire mines, is taken back to his hometown by an unexpected turn of events. As he reunites with his mother and old friends, he finds himself confronted with the rampant corruption plaguing his country. Now, he will have to choose between easy money and loyalty; between individualism and political awakening.

The young protagonist Kwame seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders but he always finds the strength to search for answers and a way to a better future. The film echoes the African civil rights movements of the 1970s – an era which marked an artistic and musical awakening as a continuation of the struggle for independence. In Kwame’s personal story, the film also addresses the legacy of colonialism and the history of resistance and throws a spotlight on the contemporary situation.

This film will be introduced by Mbola Holisoa, a local Leeds-Malagasy therapist who will give cultural and personal context to the film.