Social & External
A documentary about 1950's Reunion island.
"In Wallis and Futuna, disability has long lived in the shadows. Invisible to the world, those affected were marginalized, deprived of genuine recognition and a place in society. Behind closed doors, shame and fear of judgment mingled with the pain of families convinced that a child with a disability was a curse. Today, these superstitions are gradually fading. But the wounds of the past remain, and the path to acceptance and inclusion is still long. On this archipelago, it is urgent to make up for lost time in terms of recognition, support, and dignity for every person with a disability."
The life of Mrs. Desbassayns is exceptional in more than one way in the history of slavery on the island of Réunion. Married at the age of 15 to the forty-year-old Henri-Paulin Panon Desbassayns, this young Creole woman named Hombeline Gonneau immediately embarked on an extraordinary journey. She found herself, in fact, at the head of the most powerful landowning family...
In this short film, in search of a cinematic grammar more in tune with Creole imaginary and oral tradition, we follow Ondine's quest. She returns to La Réunion after an absence of four years, because her Pépé, a local zarboutan, is dying. Just as she has to say goodbye, Ondine has a strange encounter in a pond.
Through the years, a mother and her child share simple yet essential moments. Objects and clothing become silent witnesses to their bond as it evolves over time. A cycle unfolds: growing up, passing things on, and eventually looking back, carried by a melody that transcends generations.
