In 1759, the island of Mauritius is under French control. The enslaved population working the sugar cane plantations live in constant fear. Among them, 16-year-old Mati refuses to accept her fate. Unlike her father Massamba, who has grown disillusioned by years of oppression, Mati dreams of freedom and a life beyond the plantation. One night, desperate to flee the violence of her captors, Mati finds refuge in a remote part of the island rumored to be home to a community of runaway slaves.
