Loosely inspired by her childhood in French Africa, Claire Denis’ directorial debut Chocolat fittingly depicts this past through the perspective of a young child named France. She captures that viewpoint through a series of memories, through warm and beautifully shot moments in summer, but many of these instances take on a subtle dimension. For a child, it would have been vague and incomprehensible, but for the grown adults watching, there’s a distinct tension that simmeres underneath, as the older characters have to act within and chafe against the racial, sexual, and linguistic boundaries set by an unjust colonial system. Chocolat captures these restraints with sublime subtlety.

The film mostly works because of Isaach de Bankolé. The few dialogue he gets comes from translating numerous languages between the members of the household, but between the words, he portrays every emotion with a careful wariness that understands how precarious his position is.