ItswinterinFrance,thelightisdull,thecamerapansoverasnowywastelandandentersamassiveconstructionofsteelandglassthatisopenatthesides,stoppinginfrontofthereproductionofawoodenshipThestructurethatjutsoutovertheupperdeckisinscribedwiththewords‘Liberté,Égalité,Fraternité　　MedHondousesthistrackingshottoestablishthesettingofhisfeaturefilmWestIndiesoulesnègresmarronsdelaliberté(1979),whileopeningupamuchlargerspacetotheimaginationatthesametimeTheshipturnsouttobeamostversatilestageforagrotesquenarrativeofcolonialism,slaveryandthestruggleforindependenceintheFrenchWestIndiesMedHondoexploreshismanythemesinthislimitedspace,whetheritbetheMiddlePassage,marronage,abolitionorthehistoryoflabourmigrationtoFranceThefilmmarriesanaestheticsofthriftwiththeflamboyanceofamusical;differenttimeperiodsglideintooneotheraselegantlyasthegeographicalpointsofreference;andonlyoccasionallydotheactorsvisibleexhalations,analienationeffectcreatedbythecold,remindusthatWestIndieswasnotshotonMartinique