There are moments in history that while difficult to look back on, are still important to acknowledge. If we don’t recognize the darker moments, we can’t learn from them enough to avoid repeating them ever again. No Chains, No Masters , the directorial debut from Simon Moutairou, tackles the raw, uncomfortable truth of French colonial slavery and the animalistic practices that took place during that time.

Set in the 1700s, this French film focuses on Massamba (Ibrahima M’Baye Thie), and his teenage daughter, Mati (Anna Thiandoum) who are slaves on the island of Mauritius, occupied by French settlers. They’re confined to their fate on one of the island’s plantations, but Mati, young and rebellious, refuses to accept that this is how her life should be. There are rumors of a secluded area of the island, where former slaves known as “maroons” have managed to escape to, and subsequently find salvation. 

Desperate to find liberation from her plight, Mati manages to flee from the bounds of the plantation, retreating into the harsh jungle that encompasses the island, in search of this mystical location.  Predictably, plantation owner Eugene (Benoit Magimel) is furious that his “property” has escaped, and launches a full fledged search in order to obtain Mati, lead by the barbarous slave hunter Madame La Victoire (Camille Cottin) and her sons. They set off as a group through the inhospitable parts of the small island to capture and bring her back. 

The desperate Massamba has no choice but to also break free of his confinement in search of his daughter, in hopes to find her, and subsequently save her, before she is harmed by those who have kept her enslaved her entire life.

No Chains, No Masters , is a tough, but necessary look at the harshness of a time in history that should have never occurred, but was an unfortunate reality for many humans. While most may think of the American South when it comes to slavery, it’s imperative to know and understand that this barbaric practice occurred in other areas, and other moments, in time.

Though it may seem odd to say, this is an incredibly captivating film. The beauty and precision of the cinematography, combined with stellar performances, particularly from Thie and Thiandoum, make this an integral viewing experience. 

As characters, Massamba and Mati feel intimately familiar, despite the separation of historical time and location. In the end, this is a tale of a father and his daughter, their complicated relationship, and the inherent need for a parent to protect their child at all costs. The realization that this is a story that most, if not all, human beings can relate to in one way or another, speaks volumes for what is ultimately being portrayed and examined here.

Visually, this is an incredibly beautiful movie. The camera work, location, and outdoor set design make it a captivating and gripping cinematic experience. Though it’s entirely subtitled and in spoken French, it’s easy to forget that this is the case if you are an English speaker watching this for the first time. The characters, along with the tense pacing, make this a heart stopping experience.

This isn’t a light, happy film. It’s bleak, horrifying, and intense…but that’s exactly the point. If there were happiness to be found in abundance, it wouldn’t be accurate. That’s not to say there aren’t poignant moments, because the bond between father and daughter is deep and true, and is what carries the story through the end.

Ultimately, No Chains, No Masters excels at doing exactly what it sets out to do – which is to tell a heartbreaking, authentic, engrossing tale of humans who are focused on breaking free of the suffocating shackles they have been unfairly put in.

                                                                                              9 Out of 10