Touching without being sentimental, political without being preachy, this story set in 1930s Martinique is both lyrical and powerful. Writer-director Euzhan Palcy tells the story of a young boy who is orphaned at the age of 11 and sent to live with his grandmother, who works on one of the island's sugar cane plantations. Though he is bright, she realizes he has no future if he stays on the plantation. So she does what she can to keep him in school and away from the back-breaking, will-sapping hard labor to which she's devoted her life. Can he rise above his humble beginnings? Will he forget about his self-sacrificing grandmother and leave her behind? Palcy deals with these issues with great emotion but no false sentimentality in this poignant film. In French with English subtitles. --Marshall Fine
(20 votes)
2.
Based on the novel by Joseph Zobel, this visually beautiful film captures an era of French colonial history from a less glamourous angle.
In the shantytowns surrounding a sugar plantation, an orphaned boy named Jose lives with his grandmother. Though hard labor, long work hours and the hot sun make life in French Martinique oppressive, Jose and his buddies view the town as their playground. But Grandmother Tine won't have Jose running wild. She wants him to concentrate on his studies. Her advice and his diligence eventually pay off when Jose wins a scholarship to attend Fort-de-France, an academically reputable high school for elites. In this environment, Jose excels, pursuing his dream of becoming a writer.
(19 votes)
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