Fahavalo, Madagascar 1947
Fall Grant 2014 - Production Stage
Marie Clemence Andriamonta Paes / Feature Documentary / Madagascar, France, Qatar / 2018 / 90 min / Original Language: Malagasy / Interests: History, War, Based on a True Story, Identity, Creative Documentary
Synopsis
After World War II, nearly 10,000 Malagasy soldiers travelled back to their island on a liner named Île-de-France. After helping to free Europe from fascism, they were expecting independence for Madagascar. Instead, upon reaching their homeland they were asked to return to their “indigenous” status. War veterans led a rebellion that was harshly suppressed by colonial authorities. The archives often note that the insurgents – armed only with spears and machetes – resisted for more than 18 months in the bush, thanks to the assistance of shamans and talismans. This film will explore the insurrection from a Malagasy point of view, and will do so with the support of traditional geomancy, the “sikidy” that was among the insurgents’ tools.
Credits
- Director
- Marie Clemence Andriamonta Paes
- Producer
- Viviane Dahan
- Production Company
- Laterit Productions, Silvao Producoes
About the Director
Marie-Clémence Andriamonta-Paes was born in Antananarivo, Madagascar. She holds a Master's degree in Sociology and a CELSA diploma in Marketing and Advertising from the Sorbonne. In 1988, she launched Laterit Productions, an independent production and distribution company that focuses cross-cultural understanding. With Cesar Paes, she signed documentaries including 'Angano... Angano... Tales from Madagascar', 'Songs and Tears of Nature' and 'Awara Soup', which have won awards at Cinema du Réel, the Festival dei Popoli and the Leipzig Film Festival. Their feature documentaries, including 'Saudade do Futuro', Mahaleo' and 'An Opera from the Indian Ocean' have been released theatrically in France and the USA.