This film is one of the most magical to come out of Africa-hardly surprising, since Madagascar is unlike anywhere else on earth. Destiny or vintana plays a key role in the belief system of the Merina people of the island's high plateaus. Tradition demands that a child born during a solar eclipse, when sun and moon are at war, be placed by his father in a cattle pen to be trampled to death. The hero of this film is such a child, rescued from his fate by a young childless woman. Kapila grows into a kind but frightened young man, in effect, a stowaway in life, who supposedly can only bring evil on those around him. As in any quest narrative, Kapila must embark on a journey to discover his true identity and purpose in life. "This visionary film fascinates in its unflinching realism and its spiritual dimension questioning the role of chance in human life." (Variety)