Following her acclaimed debut Freda, award-winning Haitian filmmaker Géssica Généus returns with a visually striking and emotionally resonant drama that premiered in the Official Selection (Cannes Première) at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and screened at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Set against the sensory-rich backdrop of Jacmel, Haiti—where the sea, local churches, and spiritual traditions shape daily life—the film follows Marie Madeleine (Généus), a fiercely independent sex worker who lives entirely on her own terms.
When her path crosses with Joseph (Béonard Monteau), a devout young evangelist whose faith is beginning to fracture, an unlikely bond develops between the two social opposites.As Joseph is drawn into Marie Madeleine's bohemian circle, the film explores the profound tensions between societal repression and personal freedom, institutional religion, morality, and individual autonomy.
Marie Madeleine offers academic and general audiences a powerful, nuanced lens into contemporary Haitian social realities, making it an exceptional resource for classroom discussions on modern global cinema, intersectional gender dynamics, and post-colonial cultural identity.
The film can support classroom discussion in Haitian and Caribbean Studies, African Diaspora Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, Religion, Francophone Studies, Film Studies, Sociology, and Cultural Studies.
Directed by Gessica Geneus, 104 minutes, 2026, Haiti, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Drama, French, Haitian (with English subtitles)
“Marie Madeleine is an unforgettable experience... a captivating look at identity that ranks among the year's best works.” — Courtney Small, That Shelf / Rotten Tomatoes
“Géssica Généus fashions an intoxicating vision of the clashing realities of her characters... balancing the many elements underscoring life in Haiti.” — Barbara Goslawski, Screen Anarchy
“[The film] provides such soaring visuals, it's easy to have an unshakeable faith in its ambitious aims.”— Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com
“Succeeds by navigating these many contradictions and, in doing so, paints portraits of three-dimensional characters in ways that are both rare and remarkable.”— Jason Gorber, Next Best Picture
“A vibrant painting that shifts, swells, and holds you close until a quiet epiphany blooms within.”— Film Fest Report (Cannes Review)
