You are here:

The Valley

Name: The Valley
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Released: 1972
Duration: 105 min

Representation Score

6.8/10

Good

1972

Director

Barbet Schroeder

Runtime

105 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The Valley serves as a reflection on the tension between Western colonial ambitions and indigenous sovereignty. Using an extractive mission, the film critiques capitalist expansion and the commodification of nature. While the film effectively portrays the Mapuga tribe and criticizes the colonial perspective, it lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and disability. These omissions temper the overall impact of its social commentary. Ultimately, the film succeeds in deconstructing Western superiority, using the New Guinea highlands to question the perceived progress of the civilized world.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Valley have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender gender expressions. The story focuses on the conflicts between European travelers and the Mapuga tribe.

How does The Valley portray gender?

Fair

Viviane leads the expedition, but her role is tied to her position as a diplomat's wife. She gains ability to act through high-stakes survival situations, challenging traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Valley?

Good

The Mapuga tribe is shown who play a significant role in driving the story and a unique value system. The film critiques the explorer cliché by highlighting the clash between Western interests and indigenous life.

How does The Valley represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film contrasts Western institutions with Mapuga communal structures, critiquing modernity. It portrays the search for exotic goods as a symptom of capitalist greed.

Does The Valley include disability representation?

Fair

The film does not feature characters with visible or invisible disabilities as central plot devices. Physical challenges are presented as universal environmental obstacles.

Present on Screen

The Mapuga tribe is portrayed with ability to act and a distinct, respected value system.
The narrative offers a sophisticated critique of Western institutionalism and capitalist expansion.
The film challenges the traditional colonial perspective by emphasizing indigenous viewpoints.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and non-cisgender expressions.
It does not explore neurodivergence or physical disabilities as central themes.
The female protagonist's ability to drive the story is limited by her social status as a diplomat's wife.

Official Synopsis

Viviane, a French Consul's wife, is in New Guinea to find exotic feathers for export to Paris. She encounters four European travelers who are en route to "La Vallée": The Valley, high in the Guinean mountains, is shown on maps as 'obscured by clouds' and is beyond their previous experiences. Viviane joins their trek to find rare feathers and soon becomes entwined in their journey. Their extended stay with the Mapuga tribe brings a denouement between western and indigenous values before their final quest toward the 'Valley of the Gods'.

How are these scores produced? →