The Invader

One of my readers has kindly alerted me to powerful and provocative Belgian/French film "The Invader" - which follows the encounters of an African immigrant who arrives in Brussels in search of a better life.

The film is timely and packs a real punch. It's dark, artistic and allegorical, never shying away from controversial themes of immigration, race, gender and sex - or probing deep-seated white insecurities. It would be wonderful if porn would adopt even a fraction of this depth.

The opening scene is one of the most beautiful and powerful scenes I've seen in cinema and shows what kind of a high-quality film maker Nicolas Provost is. In a scene heavy with allegory, a beautiful naked white woman lays sun-bathing on the beach. She awakens and is drawn to the shore, where she watches spellbound as two African immigrants struggle out of the sea.

Most European films about this theme show the immigrants as poor, helpless, desperate people who should be pitied. The Invader is completely different. African immigrant Amadou is a big, powerful, good looking Black man. He uses his confidence and charm with European women who, of course, have never encountered anything quite like him.

The key character among these women is Agnes, a beautiful, well-to-do but deeply unfulfilled woman who is Amadou's prime target, played brilliantly by the beautiful Stefania Rocca. From the moment he first sees Agnes sitting alone in a cafe, Amadou is filled with curiosity and desire. He has no hesitation in following her and approaching her in a scene which simmers with pure sexual electricity.

I won't spoil what happens next - but you can expect a film that is intensely sexy, whilst at the same time dark, provocative and loaded with deeper meanings. The trailer gives a flavour of what to expect. I'd love to see a lot more films like this being made. Highly recommended.