Ian (79) lives in an old lavender distillation factory in the south of France. He is visited by people from the neighbourhood looking for advice or just a kind word, and acts as a community leader and therapist. Ian earns a living making essential oils. Huib (58), a gay man, who despite his negative worldview, has a sincere desire to care for Ian. He has settled in the area after several life failures and now lives in a tent, reminiscing about his youth as a bourgeois son. La Reine is an essay on the duality of things, nature from which man distils a fragrant product, medicines that can be drugs, even care can be destructive. The film doesn’t just zoom in on the life of one community, but invites reflection on attitudes to life in general.
