A Survivor’s Tale

If a woman can survive for two years on a rugged island while pregnant, in the company of only her maid and an aggressor, with no food, no shelter, and no resources, then, surely, she must be a witch. Otherwise, her survival is beyond comprehension.

1592: Marguerite de la Rocque, a French noblewoman travelling to the ‘New World’, is abandoned on a desolate island off the coast of Newfoundland when it’s discovered that she’s pregnant – the result of a sexual assault. As the convoy of ships continues its voyage, Marguerite, her maid and her rapist are left for dead on the harsh ‘Island of Demons’, where the wind and rain are unforgiving, and any chance of escape appears futile. With winter looming and her aggressor becoming unhinged, Marguerite must draw on remarkable wells of strength to keep herself and her unborn baby alive.

Combining the dread of a macabre fairytale with the suspense of a witchcraft trial, this tale of unfathomable endurance is based on true events. Belgian filmmaker Micha Wald, whose debut Voleurs de chevaux (2007) premiered at Cannes, approaches this untold herstory with an awed tenderness, contrasting strikingly with the twin antagonistic structures beating Marguerite down: blind religion and punishing patriarchy.

Featuring stunning photography and propelled by Salomé Dewaels’s luminous central performance, A Survivor’s Tale demands we confront the profound trials one woman had to endure to remain alive, remain lucid and be free.

– Sophie Tupholme

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