WATCH: If you loved ‘White Lotus,’ check out this slow-burn thriller about a mystery in paradise

HBO’s The White Lotus is a lot of things: A darkly hilarious ensemble comedy, a thrillingly playful “who died’ and whodunit mystery, the Jennifer Coolidge vehicle we’ve been waiting for, and a seemingly endless meme machine.

It’s also a pretty sharp satire about the haves and the have-nots, as well as a critique of appropriation and cultural tourism, especially in its inaugural Hawaii-set season.

For anyone who would’ve liked to see The White Lotus dive deeper into those thorny themes, let us point you in the direction of Pacifiction, the latest art film from queer director Albert Serra.

Like the HBO series, Pacifiction transports its audience to a tropical getaway—specifically the French Polynesian island Tahiti, which remains one of the last vestiges of the French colonialist empire.

As “High Commissioner Of The Republic,” De Roller (The Piano Teacher‘s Benoît Magimel) is the highest ranking government official on the island, but the position puts him in uneasy standing—not a local, but not quite a tourist either.

Perhaps that’s why he takes it upon himself to investigate rumors that France is planning to once again use the area for nuclear testing, like it did for nearly 30 years (as recently as 1996). It’s the last thing De Roller wants for this beautiful place he’s come to call home.

As he investigates, Serra’s poetic film evolves into something of a slow-burn mystery, with De Roller becoming more and more paranoid his government is planning something behind his back.

Notably, one of his main allies on the island is a trans woman named Shannah (Pahoa Mahagafanau), who is the true heart of the movie. The performer, Mahagafanau, identifies with the Polynesian concept of māhū—which is traditionally used to describe those assigned male at birth, but who express their gender as female—and it’s wonderful to see a film dedicate a significant portion of tis story to trans/non-binary character.

Pacification premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, where it was met with strong reviews. It currently hold a 91% “Fresh” rating on RottenTomatoes, with the consensus review: “Narratively sparse and visually vast, Pacifiction is a tsunami of a political thriller that philosophically rewards those willing to weather it.”

Pacifiction begins its arthouse theatrical rollout today—in New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Iowa City, and Durham—with premiere dates across the country over the next two months (you can find more info here).

Watch the eerie, sun-soaked trailer below: