"A compelling, visually exquisite piece of work." - Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
"Confirms Campillo as a major name in contemporary French cinema, one who can fill a sprawling period canvas with considerable visual imagination and sensory detail." - Guy Lodge, Variety
In Robin Campillo’s (120 BEATS PER MINUTE) stunning RED ISLAND, it is the 1970s, and 10-year-old Thomas is living on one of the last remaining French military bases on Madagascar, a decade after French colonial rule has ended. As the remaining members of the armed forces live out their final days on the idyllic island with cocktail parties, struggling with their loss of authority in the newly independent country, Thomas spies on those around him, discovering the angled political and sexual lives of the colonizers and the colonized hiding just below the surface. Based on Campillo’s own upbringing, RED ISLAND uses elements of magical realism against a backdrop of sobering reality to deftly weave together the personal and the political. Film Center exclusive.
Awards & Nominations
Nominee - Golden Seashell, San Sebastian International Film Festival
Official Selection - BFI London Film Festival, Rendezvous with French Cinema
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu