On the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, the High Commissioner of the Republic is a calculating man who coolly navigates both the “establishment” and the local underground. He persists as rumors circulate about the sighting of a submarine whose presence could mean the return of nuclear testing.

Topping Cahiers du cinéma’s list of best films from last year, Albert Serra’s mesmerizing epic conjures up the malaise and paranoia poisoning the Edenic calm of sun-soaked Tahiti. Steeped in moral ambiguity, Benoît Magimel’s stunning performance embodies the corruptive power of the imperial state.