White Material

Amidst turmoil and racial conflict in a Francophone African state, a white French woman fights for her coffee crop, her family and ultimately for her life. Denis revisits Africa, this time exploring a place rife with civil and racial conflict. A white French family outlawed in its home and attempting to save its coffee plantation connects with a black hero also embroiled in the tumult. All try to survive as their world rapidly crumbles around them —Pusan International Film Festival In a Francophone African state, Maria Vial, a white French coffee plantation farmer, struggles to maintain her failing crop amidst turmoil and racial conflict, in a war-ridden land among the insurgents and against the white colonialists. Stubbornly, as Maria refuses to abandon her ex-husband's farm and evacuate with her family as soon as possible, with her workers already gone for fear of the impending confrontation, each day, she puts her life in real danger, deeply attached to her land and her coffee crop which will be harvested in five days. However, sooner or later, Maria encircled by chaos and turmoil, barricaded into the plantation, she will inevitably need to fight for her coffee crop, her family and ultimately for her life. —Nick Riganas