Red Island

In his fine study of childhood, Robin Campillo echoes his own early years in 1970s’ Madagascar.

Robin Campillo's latest film may be said to have reached us with an albatross around its neck. I say that because it has become well-known that Red Island was rejected when proposed as an entry for the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. That might well encourage the assumption that it would be no great loss if we were to ignore this film. Having seen it, however, I have to say that the best things about it are so good that it should certainly not be dismissed. Admittedly the film is not without certain weaknesses and some might challenge my rating as being an overgenerous one, but this very personal work engaged me strongly.

The inspiration for Red Island lies in Campillo's own childhood and renders it a work that is essentially autobiographical. It is appropriate therefore that, in addition to directing, Campillo also wrote the screenplay together with Gilles Marchand. Although born in Morocco in 1962 Campillo at the age of eight found himself living with his parents in a French Air Force base on Madagascar. His father was serving there in what would soon become the last days of France’s presence. Red Island re-creates that situation and presents it from the viewpoint of the boy who stands in for Campillo himself. He is Thomas Lopez, a ten-year-old played by Charlie Vauselle whose parents are Robert (Quim Gutiérrez) and Colette (Nadia Tereszkiewicz). We also meet his two older brothers and other families who are part of this community linked to the base. These include a new arrival named Bernard Huissens (Hugues Delamarlière), and his wife, Odile (Luna Carpiaux), who is finding it difficult to adjust to life in Madagascar although many of the French out there feel lucky that a posting has brought them to what from their point of view is an island paradise.

Campillo’s film effortlessly evokes both the period and the lifestyle and, using what could be thought of as an ensemble cast, he creates a persuasive portrait of this community ranging from General Mathiot (Franck Mercadal) to the priest of the local church (Vincent Schmitt). But this wider portrait is presented as the film’s background to what is essentially a wonderful portrayal of what it is like to be a boy aged eight, one who observes the adults around him, overhears snippets of conversation and gradually becomes aware of an adult world which, although beyond his full understanding, suggests unsettled lives. Even exchanges between his parents indicate that their relationship is not without its problems. Charlie Vauselle is the most natural of child actors and is perfectly matched by another such performer, Cathy Pham, who plays a Vietnamese girl named Suzanne who has bonded with Thomas making them perfect playmates.

It should perhaps be said that although Thomas represents the young Robin Campillo the fact that he is only eight means that it is irrelevant to the film that Campillo would grow up gay. It is far more a case of the film enabling us to recognise universal truths in the way that the outlook of these youngsters is portrayed. That includes the fact that children of their age who enjoy reading can absorb the world found in a favourite book as though becoming part of it. Here such a book is one written by Georges Haulet that is part of a series about a twelve-year-old student who as Fantômette is also a female superhero who fights crime. That Campillo includes actual footage of Fantômette seen in animated form – it even opens the film – is a daring touch but, despite arguably returning to it once too often, it works as an indication of how Thomas is taken up with this fantasy.  

It may take a while to identify clearly all of the characters seen. However, the one real misjudgment in the film’s first half stems from the novel technique adopted by Campillo whereby a realistic scene, such as one in which the father talks about his work, is accompanied by intercuts which offer visual illustrations of what he is describing: they feel unnatural and disturb the flow. Some viewers may be more put out by the film not foregrounding colonialism to a greater extent but since the viewpoint is mainly that of the boy it makes sense that it is played as it is. In any case what might look to be a sub-plot to this study of childhood does make clear the hostility and pressure experienced by Bernard Huissens after his wife has left him and when he takes up with a native of the island, Miangaly (Amely Rakotoarimalala) in what is for both of them a serious relationship.

However, the big question that arises is whether or not Red Island can be thought of as a satisfactory whole given the turn that the film takes in its last twenty minutes or so. What we see here certainly confounds anyone who thought that the colonial issue needed more emphasis since it concentrates on the need of the people of Madagascar to achieve full independence.  But in the process of doing this Thomas gets left behind and that results in the feeling that the film does not cohere. It is the case that a song heard at the close seeks to indicate that the people are learning to bid farewell to their childhood by recognising the stand that they need to take and one suspects that Campillo is hoping that the parallel with what the boy Thomas has learnt about the realities of life is strong enough to make it all fit together. But that is surely wishful thinking. The last segment is indeed strongly felt but even so it is difficult to regard it as a fitting conclusion to the film’s admirable study of childhood. Nevertheless, I can't bring myself to condemn this weakness too much when the boy’s story is so beautifully observed and played. I don't hesitate to say that I am pleased to have seen Red Island.

Original title: L’île rouge.

MANSEL STIMPSON

Cast: Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Quim Gutiérrez, Charlie Vauselle, Cathy Pham, Amely Rakotoarimalala, Hugues Delamarlière, Sophie Guillemin, David Serero, Luna Carpiaux, Mitia Ralaivita, Lucille Bernier, Sacha Cosar-Accaow, Mathis Piberne, Franck Mercadal, Vincent Schmitt, Mathilde de Sampaio, Thi Pham.

Dir Robin Campillo, Pro Marie-Ange Luciani, Screenplay Robin Campillo with Gilles Marchand and consultant Jean-Luc Raharimanana Ph Jeanne Lapoirie, Art Dir Emmanuelle Duplay, Ed Robin Campillo, Stephanie Leger and Anita Roth, Music Arnaud Rebotini, Costumes Isabelle Pannetier.

Les Films de Pierre/Scope Pictures/France 3 Cinéma/DDC/Memento Film Production/Playtime-Curzon Film Distributors.
117 mins. France/Belgium/Madagascar. 2023. UK Rel: 1 March 2024. Cert. 12A.