Short synopsis

Tarto, Vincent, and Tiguss enter the fierce competition of the Karmon, a Malbar carnival known for its malevolent nature in Réunion. By transforming their sugar worker uniforms into dazzling warrior costumes, they will embody evil spirits and demons that have been part of this ominous marriage for over a century.

Statement of intent

I discovered the Karmon, a nearly forgotten love myth, after having lived in Réunion for over 25 years. Amidst golden strips of fabric, Halloween masks, sharp screams, whistles, drums, and fragmented dances… an enchantment seizes me. Since 2012, I’ve been archiving this Creole carnival theater of Hindu origin. I meet Tarto, Vincent, and Tiguss, who are making flashy costumes that will ultimately be torn apart. A voice wanders over the images, telling the stories of colonial iron. The sugar factory haunts the frame and the neighborhood. Chimneys, vapors, machines, and crushings bring the stains of history, which the Karmon sweeps away. Amour an diab blends the textures and sounds of this transcendental experience.