Synopsis

Martinique, the 1930s. José and his grandmother live in a small village, where everyone works cutting cane. Wages are low and conditions are abysmal. The only way to advance is to do well in school. José studies hard and succeeds in an exam allowing him to attend school in the capital. With only a partial scholarship, however, the tuition is very costly. José and his grandmother decide to move to Fort-de-France to make the boy’s studies easier.

Details

(133mins) | Martinique, France

Language:

French, with English subtitles

Production

Directors:

Euzhan Palcy

Born in Martinique in 1958, Euzhan Palcy studied filmmaking in Paris, where Françcois Truffaut was her mentor. Sugar Cane Alley (1983) was her first feature film. Her other films include A Dry White Season (1989), the first major Hollywood film directed by a black woman, and the musical Siméon (1992).