In Sacha Wolff’s gritty debut, Soane, a nineteen-year-old Pacific Islander (a powerfully convincing Toki Pilioko) grabs an opportunity to leave his idyllic yet abusive home environment in New Caledonia for France when he is offered a professional rugby contract.

In France, the fish-out-of-water Soane must contend with shady managers who expect him to use performance-enhancing drugs and train with racist teammates, convinced he is Maori and goading him to perform the Haka. His tenuous position however is further endangered as his past comes back to haunt him. (Notes by David O’Mahony)

Director’s note: Sacha Wolff’s feature début is a masterful tale of money and freedom, a portrait of our time.

Screening as part of the IFI French Film Festival 2016.