The story centers on the friendship between Massamba and Mati, two enslaved people on a plantation in 18th-century Mauritius. Massamba dreams of emancipation, but for his daughter, while Mati longs for escape for herself. Her flight inadvertently draws Massamba into active resistance against servitude. This major historical epic explores a lesser-known aspect of slavery in the French colonies: "marronnage," the act of fleeing slavery. Camille Cottin (Toni en famille) plays a perfectly detestable Scarlett O'Hara-like character, while Benoît Magimel (La Passion de Dodin Bouffant) delivers a charismatic and primal performance. The film avoids didactic approaches, yet serves as an essential duty of memory.