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Heading south (Vers le sud) - Louise Portal, Charlotte Rampling, Karen Young, Ménothy Cesar, Laurent Cantet

Threat advisory: Guarded - General risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

Three women from North America are holidaying on the idyllic, sun-drenched island of Haiti in the 1970s. Ellen (Charlotte Rampling) is an unmarried Boston schoolmistress who returns to Haiti every year for her summer holiday to be with the local Adonis, Legba (Ménothy Cesar). Sue (Louise Portal), a single, fortysomething Canadian also enjoys the attention and intimacy of a young local man, Neptune. When Brenda (Karen Young), a divorcee from the Midwest arrives, tensions build as she seeks out Legba, with whom she had a sexual encounter years before.

The background to the women's stories are told direct to camera, as is the story of Albert (Lys Ambrose), the head waiter at the resort where the women stay.

Set during the time of "Baby Doc" Duvalier's notoriously violent regime, the reality of the dangerous, poverty-stricken Haiti outside of the tourist resorts is revealed to these women when Legba's life is put at risk.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Heading south (Vers le sud) theatrical one sheet image

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film Caribbean holiday romance France French multi-cultural inter-racial relationship Haiti crime prostitution hustle

Persons of interest

Ménothy Cesar .... Legba
Louise Portal .... Sue
Charlotte Rampling .... Ellen
Karen Young .... Brenda
Lys Ambroise .... Albert
Jackenson Pierre Olmo Diaz .... Eddy
Wilfried Paul .... Neptune
Michelet Cassis .... Charlie
Pierre-Jean Robert .... Chico
Jean Delinze Salomon .... Jérémy
Kettline Amy .... Denise
Daphné Destin .... Lossita
Guiteau Nestant .... Frank
Michelet Ulysse .... Bob
Natacha Petit .... Tina
Dany Laferrière .... Author: La chair du maître
Robin Campillo .... Screenwriter
Laurent Cantet .... Screenwriter
Laurent Cantet .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Heading south (Vers le sud) official movie site
Heading south (Vers le sud) film production notes
Heading south (Vers le sud) QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

Australian Canadian Film Festival 2006: Screening
Toronto International Film Festival 2005: Special presentations: Screening
Venice Film Festival 2005: Won: CinemAvvenire Award/Cinema for Peace Award (Laurent Cantet), Marcello Mastroianni Award (Ménothy Cesar); Nominated: Golden Lion (Laurent Cantet)

NB: Creole, English and French language dialogue with English language subtitles
See also Shortbus
Studios and distributors:

Potential Films

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

Heading south (Vers le sud) is a great flick for chicks who have grown up to realise that men are bastards and, if you're not going to be a lesbian, then life doesn't begin at 40, it ends at 29. Or, you can take up this other option, hiring rent boys.

There's nothing like the firm, smooth skin of a lithe young thing sliding up against you in the steamy tropical night.

As for the drama, well, when you dive into the murky waters of criminal sexuality you should be prepared to come up for air with the odd crab. Sex and crime are interesting enough - just look at the popularity of Law & order: SVU - but when you mix in thrown-over and mature-age women, autumn/spring romance, an evil dictatorship, corrupt police and sweaty Caribbean youths you've got the right ingredients for a tasty broth.

The one thing that I didn't like was the to-camera confessions of the various women: it was overly and overtly theatrical. You'd have a hard time pulling it off on the stage let alone the big screen.

While I remember, "heading south" is not used as a double entendre in this film even though it certainly could be.