In New France before the British Conquest, Marie, an indigenous slave, serves the local surgeon. Her daily life of household chores is bleak and alienating. The encounter with a young girl she presumes to be her child will give her motivation to undertake radical actions.

At the crossroads of musical documentary, art film and poetic essay, the film Héritières delves into the world of the musical project of the same name, which brings together more than twenty female performers of different ages and cultural origins around the theme of maternal legacy and the collective heritage of women across generations.