From one shore to the other of the Indian Ocean

My family history is woven into the great movements of populations across continents, echoing the human and cultural mosaic of Reunion Island. By tracing the path of my ancestors, I uncover the bonds connecting the Gujaratis of India, the Karanes of Madagascar, and the Zarabs of Reunion—now French overseas citizens, carrying a shared memory shaped by exile, encounters, and cultural blending. Through this film, I seek to understand this multifaceted history to better grasp my own, giving substance to a memory that remains underrepresented in the collective narrative of Reunion.

This documentary invites the viewer on an internal and geographical journey. It retraces the odyssey of Gujarati Indians from India to Madagascar and finally to Reunion, questioning what it means to be “Reunionnais” through this history of migration and creolization. It is an intimate yet collective epic—the story of Indian Muslims who became French citizens, of men and women who forged a new identity at the crossroads of the world.