The film feels like a French take on those classic British Merchant Ivory productions, depicting the waning of colonial power in the early 1950s alongside a romantic connection across racial lines. The story centers around Éliane (Catherine Deneuve), a wealthy woman who owns a substantial rubber plantation and takes in Camille (Linh-Dan Pham), a young local whose influential parents were her friends until the father’s assassination, supposedly at the hands of communist rebels. When the attractive naval officer Le Guen (Vincent Perez) arrives on the scene, tensions rise as he becomes interested in Éliane while Camille develops feelings for him too. The narrative unfolds gradually against a backdrop of growing unrest, showing how these three individuals must adjust to the escalating political and emotional challenges they face. While it runs a bit long and sometimes feels slow-moving, Deneuve portrays her character with an undeniable air of refined believability. She’s deeply rooted in the local culture but also part of the ruling class that many are eager to see gone. Perez embodies the charming and handsome sailor who appears at a moment when both women are grappling with their own vulnerabilities, and Linh-Dan Pham is effective as her character's youthful innocence gives way to an understanding of love’s complexities, her family history, and what lies ahead. The film’s visuals effectively contrast poverty and luxury, light and beauty, showcasing the community as it moves toward a period of self-governance and resolve. It can be gentle and also quite harsh, offering a glimpse into how cynically Western powers maintained control over these cultures for an extended time.

Source on TMDB