In Jacmel, Haiti, the sea, the churches and the spirits shape daily life. Marie Madeleine is a free woman who makes a living as a sex worker and navigates the nights without submitting to the rules of those who claim to save souls. Her path crosses with Joseph, a young evangelist, and a relationship blossoms between these two opposite beings.

As Joseph’s faith begins to waver, Marie Madeleine draws him into a world where desire and the quest for freedom create a space in which everything can be reinvented.

MARIE MADELEINE is the sophomore feature from writer, director, and star Gessica Généus (FREDA), who plays the title role opposite Béonard Monteau as Joseph. The film had its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where Généus received a Queer Palm nomination, followed by its North American premiere in the Centrepiece section of the Toronto International Film Festival before coming to CIFF audiences.