Palm Trees in the Snow

Movie review by Brian Costello, Common Sense Media
Palm Trees in the Snow Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 18+

Unforgettable subtitled epic has graphic sex, violence.

NR 2015 163 minutes
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Parents say

age 17+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 14+

Based on 1 review

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Palm Trees in the Snow is an epic 2015 Spanish-language movie about the love affair that emerges between a Spanish colonist and a native woman against the backdrop of the colonial oppression and revolutionary fervor of mid-20th-century Equatorial Guinea in Africa. There is brutal violence throughout, including a gang rape, flogging, characters bashed in the head with shovels, and innocent civilians gunned down by soldiers with machine guns. "F--k" is used. Men appear drunk, starting fights, falling over, and gang-raping a woman; they will claim to have no real recollection of the gang rape because they were so drunk. There are also sex scenes with some nudity as well as the sounds of passionate lovemaking. All of this, coupled with the movie's overarching themes of the complicated relationships between natives and colonists in Africa and how that changes over time as the conditions of near slavery lead to the revolutionary fervor that led to so many African nations declaring their independence in the 1960s, makes this movie best for older teens and adults.

Community Reviews

Yvette Simmons
Yvette Simmons Adult
August 22, 2018
age 17+

Palm trees in the snow

Very beautiful and true to life movie. remind me so much of my childhood brought back a lot of good memories.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Helen M.
Helen M. Adult
April 18, 2018
age 18+

Great Story, Questionable Content

Right off the bat, parents should be advised that this is a very mature drama that was not intended for children, or young teens of any ages. Unfortunately, much like other interracial dramas, mature thematic elements [rape, infidelity, prostitution, domestic abuse, racism, and varying, sometimes violent or archaic cultural practices] pervade throughout. This also includes very graphic sex, graphic nudity, and questionable, if not downright sinister characters who take advantage of others in the most heinous ways. CommonSense does well enough in describing the sex scenes [the first one is actual in the film's opening sequence and sets the bar for the other sex scenes that follow in the film; little is left to the imagination], as well as the scene of gang rape. However, there is also full frontal male nudity [albeit brief and in the distance] that was not mentioned. The instance occurs in a scene where several men are hanging [dead] from a tree; they have been stripped of all clothes and the outlines [and more if you pause] of their genitals can be seen. Nudity, unlike sex scenes cannot be skipped however, as they are a near constant with many village women traipsing around topless, and both main and secondary characters peeling off their tops and letting things...hang loose...whenever the urge hits them. Violence is less of a concern here with most violence occurring offscreen, and only showing audiences the aftermath of their beatings. [This is true for the rape scene as well, most of the actual act occurs offscreen, albeit with audible screaming, etc.] That being said, the movie does do a good job of making you believe in the love story between the two main characters, and teeing up for a riveting twist. The cast are all solid actors here as well, and deliver stellar performances.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In 2003, Clarence finds in diaries and photographs hints of the secrets of her family's colonial past in present-day Equatorial Guinea. She leaves her family's estate in Equatorial Guinea to find the person who has been receiving financial assistance from her Uncle Kilian. Through flashbacks, as Clarence begins her research, we learn of Kilian leaving his home in Spain to join his brother and father on their cocoa plantation, where he is an overseer of the African laborers. He begins to loathe his brother's racism and sexual exploitation of the natives, and as he adjusts to the complications and difficulties of colonial life, he falls in love with Bisila, an African woman who works in the plantation hospital. A torrid love affair begins, despite Bisila being married and Kilian coming from a culture in which the Africans and their cultures are seen as inferior. Much to her horror and deep sorrow, Clarence learns of some of the terrible acts committed by her elders and learns many shocking truths when she manages to track down Bisila, who tells not only of the brutal racism that made their love affair difficult but also of the revolutionary zeal of the African continent during the 1960s, as Africans overthrew colonial rulers and fought for their liberation. Despite the horrors of their environment, Clarence learns of the transcendent and eternal love Bisila and Kilian shared for the rest of their lives.

Is It Any Good?

This is an incredible, epic Spanish film about an eternal love that emerges between a European man and an African woman in mid-20th-century Equatorial Guinea. It seamlessly interweaves the past and present, the scope of tumultuous change as a brutal colony begins a transition to an equally brutal dictatorship, and the complex interplay and relationships between those caught up in the merciless undercurrents. It's as beautiful as it is violent, as tragic as it is life-affirming. At nearly three hours, the film, as ambitious as it is, makes full use of that time to convey a breadth and scope not often seen in contemporary movies.

Complexity and nuance, in both the characters and the cultures they represent, is no easy task for a film of this magnitude, and yet there are no one-dimensional characters, none of the laziness inherent in stereotyping. It's an epic movie that feels epic in story, performance, and direction. Simply put, this is an unforgettable movie for older teens and adults.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about epic movies with historical backdrops. What are some of the ways in which this movie is "epic"? What are some of the ways in which it covers decades of a particular place and the lives of those who lived there?

  • Why do you think this movie does not shy away from graphic violence? Was the violence necessary?

  • How are the cultures of the native Africans and the Spanish colonists conveyed? What are the ways in which their often tense relationship is conveyed through the story?

Movie Details

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