Liya Kebede

In 1817, on Bourbon Island (Reunion Island), a compelling narrative unfolds. Following the passing of his mother, the enslaved Furcy stumbles upon a letter of emancipation amidst her belongings – an unexpected key to his indirect liberation. Aided by the support of abolitionist prosecutor Gilbert Boucher, Furcy courageously embarks on a legal crusade against his master, Joseph Lory, in a bid to substantiate his claim to freedom. This legal saga, marked by numerous twists and turns, spans almost three decades. Furcy endures imprisonment and exile in Mauritius for a significant portion of this period. It is only in 1846 that he finally presents his case before the Royal Court of Paris. Furcy’s triumph in the courtroom distinguishes him as one of the rare slaves in French history to achieve legal emancipation several years prior to the definitive abolition of slavery.

Virgil Oldman is a world renowned antiques expert and auctioneer. An eccentric genius, he leads a solitary life, going to extreme lengths to keep his distance from the messiness of human relationships. When appointed by the beautiful but emotionally damaged Claire to oversee the valuation and sale of her family’s priceless art collection, Virgil allows himself to form an attachment to her – and soon he is engulfed by a passion which will rock his bland existence to the core.

The autobiography of a Somalian nomad who was sold in marriage at 13, fled from Africa a while later to become finally an American supermodel and is now at the age of 38, the UN spokeswoman against female genital mutilation.