For the 2024 celebrations of 20th December, the Reunion Departmental Council presented to the public the very first historical documentary treating slavery on Bourbon island, a locally produced film, focusing on a chapter of French and world history that remains largely unknown still today.
Director: Alexandre Boutié
Scientific supervisors: Prosper Eve, Professor emeritus, University of Reunion
Gilles Gauvin, member of the scientific committee of the Villèle museum
Xavier Le Terrier, scientific director of the Villèle museum
Duration : 55 mn
The documentary, which took two years to be produced, takes on a specific importance in the current audio-visual context, with the Caribbean region being highlighted through a large number of productions focusing on the transatlantic slave trade, while the Indian Ocean region, including Reunion island, with its specific history, remains largely unknown to the general public.
The documentary is based on solid historical references, supported by a large number of documents from the archives and detailed analyses provided by highly recognised specialists working in the field. These resources make it possible to explore the specific characteristics of slavery in the Indian Ocean, from the arrival of the first captives up to abolition in 1848. The wealth of the accounts and narratives gives us an understanding of the mechanisms of the system, but also of the heritage it has left in contemporary Reunionese society.
Understanding the heritage of slavery on Reunion, whether cultural, social or economic, is one of the keys to a better understanding of the island’s current identity and social challenges.
